Legend's Maiden
by BayouBelle13
Summary: Perhaps you know the legend of Robin Hood. Perhaps you know me. I'm the one he fell for. His story was never mine to tell, but I can tell my story, one that will forever be entwined with his. I'm the Maid Marian & this is the story of me & my Robin Hood.
1. One

"Marian, Marian where are you?" my brother Michael called out to me. I ran and hid behind a tree.

My father was the owner of the lands known as Knighton where we lived in a manor right on the outskirts of a forest, Sherwood Forest to be exact. He would always tell us stories of ghosts and spirits that haunted these woods, yet I always returned to play in them. I would pretend to fight evil villains; be the hero of my own story. I was never the princess type. No, I was much more fit to be a knight. My father, fueling my ambition and my mother's dismay, even crafted me my own bow and arrow. I took to practicing in the forest becoming, I would say, a rather good shot.

"Marian!"

I stifled a giggle.

"I'm coming!" I finally gave in, bursting out of the forest. The two of us raced back to our house, thus ending another normal day as everyday went for the first ten years of my life…until I met _him_.

It began as another day playing in the forest. After finishing my lessons with my mother, I went out into Sherwood to practice with my bow. She very much disapproved of my favorite hobby but, being my mother, she supported whatever I wanted to do in life. God bless her.

So I was minding my own business, zoning in on my makeshift target, when something hit me…literally. I had just pulled back for a shot when a boy barreled into me. Needless to say I missed.

I hastily shoved him off me.

"Can't you see where you're going?" I scolded frustrated he had interrupted my shot.

"Sincerest apologies milady," my assailant mocked as he playfully bowed to me. I was fuming. For a young girl, I had a hot temper, I still do. But, when he looked back at me, my anger melted away. He, even at that young age, had the most beautiful green eyes. They were as green as fresh spring grass with a playful shine to them. It was like you knew he was hiding something. His brown hair was lightened from obvious days spent outside. While he was still only a child, he was tall and definitely had room to grow, and that smile. That crooked grin had me smiling right along with him. I was barely ten years old, and I was in love.

We both simply stood there, staring. I finally caught myself and immediately felt self-conscious in my ragged pants and puffy white shirt. I had been in such a rush to come out to play that I had neither brushed my hair nor fixed it in any way. But he just smiled at me in that captivating way. I smiled back as I heard a voice in the distance.

"Robin…oh Robin! Where are you?"

So that was his name, Robin. He smirked before yanking me behind a tree as another boy approached. He covered my mouth and _shushed_ me. I stood there beside him without question. I couldn't help but chuckle a little bit to myself. Robin and this boy were clearly playing hide-and-go-seek, a favorite among the children in my village.

Just when I thought the boy had passed, a small head appeared from around the tree.

"Gotcha!" he cried, reaching to tag Robin. He looked startled when he saw me.

The boy had an orange-red hair. He was small, only slightly taller than myself. His light blue eyes grew very wide when they fell on me, almost as if he had never seen a girl before. I giggled.

"Hi!" I said, taking the initiative.

"Uh, hi," He replied shyly.

"This is…um?" Robin hesitated in his attempt to introduce me.

"Marian," I filled in for him, shaking the small boy's hand, "I'm Marian."

"Much," he replied, "Nice to meet you."

"Pleasure's all mine," I curtseyed to him in the way my mother had taught me.

"Do you wanna play with us?" he asked timidly. I nodded. I loved this game! But, before I could say yes, Robin was already answering for me.

"Of course she doesn't want to play with us! She has 'girl' stuff to do. She couldn't keep up with us anyway," he smirked, already to sauntering away.

Excuse me? Did he really just say that? _I_ couldn't keep up with _them_? _Girl_ stuff to do? No, I would have none of that! I was about to say something when a better idea came to me.

My bow was lying on the ground where Robin had knocked me over. I grabbed an arrow from my quiver, notched it in place, pulled back, and released.

The arrow went whizzing past Robin's head to the tree a slightly to the left of him. He immediately stopped walking. Ever so slowly, he turned to face me. I stood with my free hand on my hip feeling victorious.

He just kept staring at me. This was a perfect time for my grand exit. Saluting him, I turned on my heel and walked away. I know he stared after me the whole way out of the woods, because I never heard the crunching of the leaves under his feet, or Much's for that matter, that gave way to walking.

Chores and relentless lessons kept me from time in the forest for the next few days. As I was falling asleep one night, a tapping came at my window. I tried to ignore it, but it was incessant. Finally, I dragged myself over to look out. Behold, Robin's green eyes and mischievous grin greeted me.

"What do you want?" I asked a bit groggily, longing for nothing more than sleep.

"Why haven't you been in the forest?" he asked. He was balancing on the sliver of awning that covered our front door located just below my bedroom window.

I shrugged, exhausted.

"I've been busy."

I may have been the daughter of a noble, but that did not mean that my parents didn't believe in raising their children to have responsibilities and work hard. It didn't save me from mundane housework. But at that moment, another thought hit me.

"How do you know where I live?"

That silenced him. Knowing there could be no "appropriate" answer I turned back to the comfort of my bed, but Robin reached through the bars of my windows and caught my hand.

"Wait," he sighed.

"What do you want, Robin? As I said I have been busy and I would _like_ to get some sleep," I demanded exasperatedly.

"I'm good with a bow, too," he commented.

I shrugged again. Why was this important?

"I was wondering if you would be interested in some friendly competition. Tomorrow, I'll meet you at your little 'target' arena and we'll see who is more skilled."

"Why does it matter?" I called into the night, but he had already disappeared the forest before I could get an answer. What did it matter? I would enjoy beating him in the morning.

The next day I woke before the crack of dawn and immediately started on the chores I had been attending to all week: fetch the water, tend to the livestock, hang the clothes, things of that sort. I would get my chores done early, just as I would beat Robin at his archery challenge.

As I bustled about the housework, I failed to notice a presence had joined me.

"Well, you are up early."

I whirled around to face the knowing eyes of my mother. I loved my mother, but she had these dark blue eyes that could stare right into the soul. I hated that, but what I hated more was that I did not inherit that trait. Michael and Miles, my other brother, did, but not me. I inherited my father's warm, welcoming hazel eyes that revealed every emotion and secret we held.

"Yes," I replied, going about my chores. I did not want to tell her of my competition with Robin. She already disapproved of my father and brothers encouragement that I learn to defend myself. Somehow I doubted she would appreciate the fact that now I was using said skills in competition against a boy.

But she needn't worry. I felt nothing but spite for Robin, especially from what he had said the day before.

She continued to stand there. I could feel those piercing blue eyes boring into my back. I awkwardly continued my work.

"Marian…" she began in an accusatory tone. I was caught.

"Yes, Mother?" I cleared my throat.

"What are you up to?"

"Nothing," I replied innocently. I wasn't doing anything wrong as far as I could tell. My mother held my gaze. I would not lose this time. My golden eyes fought an invisible battle with her cerulean.

Just as my barrier was about to fall, she sighed and looked away.

"Alright then Marian, just please be careful. And make sure you finish your chores," she surrendered, planting a kiss on my forehead. She disappeared back inside, humming a rhythmic melody, and began breakfast while I hastened to finish my chores.

Finally, with the last piece of clothing hung, I was finished. I washed up a bit, grabbed my bow and arrows, and dashed out the door. I could hear the shouts of Michael and Miles as I disappeared into the woods. I chuckled as I ran. What was that saying about early birds?

I ran to my target area hoping to fin in some practice before my competitor arrived. Unfortunately, Robin was already there, lounging rather nonchalantly against a tree. He almost looked to be asleep; he was not facing me, but I was proven wrong when he spoke.

"So, you _did _decide to show up," he commented. I had to bite back the words that I wanted so badly say: _You thought I wouldn't?_ No matter, I would beat him a lady.

I flashed him my most innocent smile as he pushed himself off the tree and sauntered over. His cockiness sickened me. I would have to put an end to that.

I gestured to the tree for him to take his shot. He stepped up, pulled back, and was about to let go when he lowered his bow and turned to me.

"What fun is this? My grandmother can hit a tree. Let's do something a little more interesting. Come with me to my house. My father helped me set up my own fighting arena," he suggested.

I stared at him. Leave? With some strange boy I'd only just met? Absolutely not!

"There's an archery range…"

On second thought, maybe it wouldn't be so bad.

"How far away is it?" I asked carefully, trying very hard to conceal my curiosity. Apparently I was not succeeding because Robin gave me a knowing smile that seemed to resemble my mother's.

"Less than a mile that way," he directed, pointing west. Well, that wasn't_ too_ far away.

"I'll have you back before dark."

That did it. I nodded, grabbed my things, and followed him farther into the forest.

It didn't take us long at all to reach his village, the village I instantly recognized as Locksley. I had been here a few times with my father for his meetings with the Lord of Locksley. Since my father owned the land that was Knighton, he often met with Locksley to discuss business deals and such. I never really paid much attention. I was always too busy playing hide-and-go-seek or red rover with the children of the village.

As we entered and I waved to familiar faces, I realized something. While I prided myself on being rather bright, I could not place this Robin boy. Why could I not remember him?

Robin continued walking through the village greeting people as he went while I continued to ponder the mystery of Robin. Who was he? I didn't have to ponder much longer as he led me right up the steps to Locksley Castle.

I stared up in awe. I _had_ heard of Robin before, Robin of Locksley, son of the Lord of Locksley. How could I have forgotten about him? I had never met him, but I certainly knew of him!

I began to back away slowly, but he caught my wrist. We lived in a humble manor. My father was a noble and had land, but not a lot. My mother was even of royal blood, but Locksley was still much greater than us.

A castle shouldn't have intimidated me but it did. My mother would have been appalled by my actions. Robin wordlessly led me inside. I couldn't help but gaze at the beauty of the castle all around me.

There were tapestries painted of life and battle in the most luscious reds, deep blues, and golden yellows. The sun shone through the stained glass windows causing colors to dance across the polished marble floor. Every so often, we would pass a glass table displaying beautiful bouquets of the most exotic flowers. Marble hallways and large oak doors led off in various directions.

This…was a nice place.

I was soon pulled out of my reverie by a familiar voice.

"Marian!"

"Hello, Much," I smiled as he bounded toward us. It made me giggle how happy he seemed to be to see me.

"Much! We were just going to begin our archery contest outside. Care to join us?" Robin inquired.

Much glanced around. In the silence, I began to take note of him. He was dressed very casually, much like I dressed to do chores. He wore simple brown pants, tattered boots, and a white puffy shirt that was a bit too big for him. Then I looked at Robin. He was also dressed in a puffy white shirt, but his was neatly pressed and washed. He wore brown pants and his boots were shiny and new. That was when I realized something. I had a hunch that Much was Robin's servant.

Much continued to look around.

"Well, I," he began.

Oh how I wanted him to join us! He seemed so sweet! He could be spared a little work to come with us, couldn't he? After all, he looked young enough to be my age, and ten-year-olds deserved to have some fun.

I was about to say something, but Robin beat me to it. I hoped our archery challenge wouldn't end the same way.

"It's okay, Much. Marian and I would really like you to come," he assured the small boy. Though Much looked to be a servant, Robin seemed to genuinely treat him as an equal. Robin may have been cocky, but at least I could respect this one part about him.

Much's face broke into a grin that stretched from ear-to-ear.

"Really, are you sure, because I—"

"Come on, Much!" Robin laughed as he wrapped his arms around the both of us. Much was a few inches taller than me, but Robin was a whole head taller than the both of us. And his laugh; just hearing it made me smile. Though Robin was rather prideful and arrogant, I was slowly finding little things I liked about him.

The three of us ventured outside to his archery range. Actually it was more of arena for, well everything. There were wood painted targets for archery, straw dummies for sword fighting slouched helplessly against the pole holding them up, a fairly large shed in the corner housed various weapons. There were swords of all shapes and sizes. Some were curved, some were short, some long, some looked heavy, and some light. Some weapons I didn't even recognize, but what really caught my eye were the bows and arrows. Some of the bows were larger than me. Others were curved to make them smaller, like mine. All of them had me dazzled.

My eyes must have betrayed my amazement. I tried to wipe the amazed look off my face, but it was too late. I turned to face Robin. He was staring at me with a smug, prideful look on his face. I opened my mouth to explain; Robin simply smiled and walked away. I glared at the back of his head but reluctantly followed.

He led Much and me over to one of the targets, and then faced me and bowed slightly.

"Ladies first," he said. I stepped up.

I pulled an arrow from my quiver and zoned in on my target. As I pulled back, ready to fire, I heard horses galloping in the distance. I tried to ignore it, but it only grew louder and louder. Just as I was lowering my bow out of anger and lack of concentration, Robin snatched it from my hands.

I whirled on him. How dare he? I opened my mouth to begin my rant, but was suddenly yanked backward. Much was grabbing the arrows off my back and handing them to Robin. Robin pushed me behind him while Much shushed me just as the horses came galloping in.

To set something straight, I'm usually confident person. I'm not intimidated very easily. Though my confidence wavered slightly as a caravan of big men in dark uniforms with helmets and swords rode in on horseback, I was still fuming that Robin had the nerve to grab my weapon from me and push me around like a rag doll. I refused to be treated this way.

"Hello Locksley," the leader spat.

"Master Gisborne," Robin replied. Though the gesture was polite, the way he said it suggested that he did not like this Gisborne man.

"How many times must I remind you that my name is Robin?"

Gisborne ignored him.

"You remember my son, Guy," it wasn't a question.

"How could I forget?" Robin nodded to a dark-haired boy riding beside Master Gisborne.

"Guy," Robin greeted.

"Robin," Guy replied.

Master Gisborne whispered something to Guy and continued into Locksley Castle. Guy remained with us.

The whole exchange angered me. While Robin was calm about this, I was annoyed by their intrusion. I started for Gisborne and Guy, but Much grabbed me and pulled me back into place. He gave me a look that said "this is not the time or place." Reluctantly, I listened and remained beside Much.

Guy must have seen that something was going on behind Robin. He went to look around him, but Robin moved with him. After this dance of eyes, Guy gave up trying to get a look at me. He turned instead on Robin.

"You know it is against the law for children to have weapons, Locksley. You will have to get rid of that," he pointed to my bow. I gasped quietly. Much's hand held me firmly in place. I could not lose my bow and arrows!

"I'll get rid of mine when you get rid of yours, Gisborne," Robin shot back, nodding at Guy's sword. A sigh escaped me. I could hear the smirk in his voice. Guy had nothing else to say, so Robin continued.

"Why's your father here, Guy?" Robin asked. Gisborne gave him a smug look. It was obvious that he wasn't going to reveal anything.

"Nothing much to worry about Locksley, just some…financial changes," was all he gave away. Financial changes?

Robin must have been thinking the same as me. Robin stepped up to Guy as he dismounted his horse. With the two boys facing each other, I could really see the difference. Robin was tanned from being outside with light brown hair. His arms were toned either from work or training, and had a good two to three inches on Guy. Guy, on the other hand, had jet-black hair. His skin was paler than Robin's suggesting he spent most of his time inside. However, where Robin was lean and muscular, Guy would grow to be broad and sturdy.

As I processed these differences, the two continued to stare at one another, Guy's dark irises against Robin's deadly green. Finally Robin broke the silence.

"If he's doing ANYTHING against my father or Locksley, I'll—"

"You'll what?" Guy interrupted Robin's threat. Robin looked down upon him but he knew, and I knew, and Much knew. What could Robin do? He looked to only be a boy of twelve.

Robin failed to come up with an answer. Luckily, Master Gisborne decided to rejoin his son at exactly that moment along with the man I recognized as Lord Locksley.

"Locksley, always a pleasure," Master Gisborne said as he mounted his horse. Somehow, I knew he didn't mean it. Lord Locksley simply nodded in return as Gisborne and his men rode off.

The two Locksleys stared after them for only but a moment. Then, Lord Locksley turned to the three of us.

"Well, Robin, you have failed to introduce me to your new friend," he smiled down at me. I couldn't help but smile back. Robin was the spitting image of his father: crooked smile; light brown hair; lean, muscular build. However, where Lord Locksley's eyes were blue, Robin's were green. Those must have come from his mother.

"Father, this is Marian. Marian, this is my father," Robin shyly introduced, almost like he was embarrassed.

"It is a pleasure, my Lord," I replied with a small curtsey.

"The pleasure is mine, my dear," he replied, gently kissing my hand. I felt my checks redden.

"Are you staying for dinner?" he asked.

"No," Robin replied before I could, "Actually, I was just about to walk her home."

I gave Robin a confused look. I had only just arrived, hadn't I? It didn't matter. I had no time to ask as he dragged me away.

"Come back anytime!" Master Locksley called. I waved in gratitude. Much stayed behind with him discussing something as I was helplessly hauled home.

Once we got into Sherwood, Robin loosened his grip on me. He still held onto my wrist, but instead of being dragged, I fell into step beside him. It was awkwardly quiet as we walked. I wanted to say something, but what? What went on back there? Robin clearly didn't like Guy. Lord Locksley didn't seem too fond of Master Gisborne either as he walked him out. Luckily, I didn't have to take the silence any longer.

"I'm sorry about that," Robin mumbled. His eyes remained downcast as we walked through the forest, leaves crinkling under our boots.

"About what?" I asked, hoping to lighten the mood a bit. It wasn't his fault that we were interrupted.

Robin smiled but he still refused to look at me.

"They have been bothering us for a while now. I think something bad is about to happen, maybe not now, but soon. Their visits have become more frequent," he explained. I nodded, encouraging him to go on.

"I'm scared Marian," he finally stopped and faced. His face was somber, but his eyes were filled with the fear he was speaking to me about. Once again, I didn't know how to respond.

Instead I took a chance. I stepped up and wrapped my arms around his stomach. I was so short next to him; my head barely came up to his shoulders. To my surprise, he didn't pull away. What surprised me even more was that he hugged me back. He wrapped his arms around me and held tightly.

I realized then I'd only known this boy for a week. It was only my second time meeting him. This boy was telling me about his problems, and now I was hugging him to make it better. One week, and he already seemed to trust me. I was supporting a boy who I knew nothing about, and he was letting me.

Finally he pulled away. He was smiling that same crooked, goofy smile that his father had shared before.

"Thank you, Marian," he said as we continued walking.

"You know if you tell anyone about this, I'll deny it," he muttered. I rolled my eyes as we trudged on.

That's how our first summer went. We never had that archery contest; I think Robin was afraid I would win. Robin and Much continued to visit me after the summer was over, but we never returned to Locksley.

Robin and I continued to pick and tease each other. However, as we grew, no one could deny the feelings between the two of us. I loved Robin. I could tell him anything; he was my best friend.

One night, when I was thirteen, Robin and Much stayed at my house for dinner. My family had become quite fond of the pair.

We were sitting outside around a campfire my father made. Robin went back into my house to help my mother with the dishes. He was annoyingly charming in that way. Much and I were left alone around the campfire.

"He fancies you, you know?" Much suddenly came out with. I was a bit taken aback. I had lately been thinking of Robin in that way, but I never thought he felt the same way.

As I stared at Much, his eyes betrayed a flicker of guilt, but that was soon replaced by shining mischief. I giggled.

"He talks about you all the time. And even when he's not talking, he has this dreamy look on his face, and I know he's thinking about you," he whispered so as not to be overheard.

"I may be a servant, but even I'm smart enough to see that you two really care about one another."

We turned to stare into the kitchen window where Robin and my mother were talking. As we watched, Robin caught my eye, but he quickly glanced away. I could feel a blush beginning to spread in my cheeks.

I looked at Much and the two of us erupted into laughter. I loved Much, too. He was such a sweet guy and cared so much for me. I couldn't help myself. I planted a quick kiss on his cheek.

His eyes grew wide and his mouth went slack. Then, just as redness was creeping into his cheeks, he smiled a boyish smile. I chuckled, and so did he.

Much was right about Robin "fancying" me. Later that year, he took me on a walk through Sherwood. While I thought we were strolling aimlessly, Robin had other plans.

Before I knew it, we were at this beautiful little waterfall that poured into a pond. He led me behind the fall while making some silly comment about my first time seeing the back of water. We both laughed.

He then grabbed my hand gently while using the other to brush away a strand of hair that had fallen into my face. I looked up into his beautiful green eyes as his face inched closer to mine. I closed my eyes, and we kissed.

I could've stayed there forever, just kissing him. Butterflies fluttered frantically in my stomach. My whole body buzzed. But eventually, I pulled away. As I did, my head began to reel, longing to kiss him again, but I had to leave him with something.

I smirked at him as I watched him recover from our first kiss. His eyes were slightly droopy; a dazed look covered his face. I pulled him out from behind the waterfall, and he walked me home.

That night I slept well dreaming of my sweetheart.

My thirteenth year was a great one. It was filled with adventure and romance. Life was perfect, and that was where the problem began.

Robin came to visit me one day. He greeted my parents, but lacked his usual energy. When he came up to me, he simply took my hand and led me into Sherwood. I allowed myself to be taken. I trusted Robin with my whole being.

He led me to a clearing filled with clovers, wild flowers, and several large boulders. He sat on one of them, but never let go of my hand. He wouldn't look at me. That was when I knew something was wrong.

"Robin, what is it?" I asked, trying to get him to look at me. I waited. Finally, he raised his eyes to meet mine, and I could've broken down into sobs right there. His eyes were so deep and filled with sadness that it hurt me deep in my heart. But I stayed strong; my eyes never left his, even as he bore his weakness to me.

"My mother's dead," he said simply. I gasped. He broke down into sobs. I grabbed for him, holding him close. He held me even tighter than he did when he told me about Gisborne and wept into my shoulder.

I pulled him down to the ground. We sat there for a long time. Tears slipped down my cheeks as I held my sweetheart.

Finally, his sobs subsided.

"Marian," he said, "I need to get away."

The words hit me like ice water. He couldn't go away, not now, not like this. He must have seen my shock because he explained.

"Not far, my love, thank you for…being you. I think I'm going to take the long way home…alone," he explained. I wanted to protest. I wanted to protest the fact that I didn't actually _do_ anything. I wanted to protest him being alone. However, deep down, I understood. I would probably want to be alone as well. I had done my part, now he needed to be alone with his thoughts. So I simply nodded. He did walk me home, and I kissed him good-bye.

"I'm here for you Robin," I said, "I'll always be here for you." I wanted, no, I needed him to know that. He smiled that smile, the one he gave only to me.

"I know, love, and I will always be here for you," he kissed me on the forehead. Then, he walked away. I stared after him only for a moment before going inside.

I waited for Robin to come the next day, and the next. I assumed he was still grieving, which was understandable. But that was what bothered me the most, I _assumed_. I didn't _know_ what was going on or how Robin was doing. So after a week of not seeing or hearing from him, I decided to venture back to Locksley.

I left early, taking the same route Robin and I had taken that first time. I had a good memory; I didn't forget things easily. Before I knew it, I was in Locksley.

I made my way to Locksley Castle. While I was confident in my being here, seeing the large oak door intimidated me as it had before. The servants' entrance would be much more suitable for a now fourteen-year-old girl. I walked around the castle until I found it. I never thought the first person I would run into would be Much.

"Marian!" he exclaimed, "What are you doing here?"

"I came to see Robin, I've been worried about him," I explained.

Much looked uncomfortable. I realized that he was much taller than I. I almost had to strain my neck to look at his face. He was mumbling softly to himself.

"Yes, I suppose you would be worried about him then," he mumbled. Finally, he spoke directly to me.

"Alright, follow me."

I did as I was told. Much led me through the castle and up a flight of stairs. He knocked on a door that I could only assume led to Robin's room.

"Master?" he called to him. Master? The other servants must have gotten to Much. Since when did he refer to Robin as "Master?"

"What is it, Much?" Robin asked as he opened the door. He looked different, grown up somehow. There were the beginnings of a beard on his face. His hair was a bit longer. His eyes were piercing. Had I not known him better, he would have frightened me.

"Marian is here to see you," Much gesture to me behind him. Robin's eyes instantly softened as Much moved out the way to reveal me.

"I shall leave you two then," Much left us with a smile, but it wasn't a sweet smile, it seemed sad.

"Um, come in," Robin invited me into his room. I had never been in another boy's room, save Michael and Miles. It felt…dangerous.

Robin's room was simple. There were green curtains coupled with a green quilt. He seemed to like the natural color. I sat on the foot of his bed while he remained standing.

The two of us were silent for a bit.

"So, since when does Much call you Master?" I asked just to break the awkward silent. Robin rolled his eyes and sighed.

"I keep telling him to stop; the servants scold him, though. It's awkward. He's my best friend, yet he is my servant. If it were up to me, he would be free," Robin smiled.

I nodded. Silence still enveloped the room. I started my conversation, now it was his turn.

It was as if he had read my mind.

"I'm sorry I haven't been to visit you," he apologized.

"It's alright," I said, "I just wanted to make sure you were okay. I'm sorry if I have caught you unaware."

"No, no, I'm glad you're here," he immediately said, "I've been meaning to talk to you about something."

I sat and waited to hear what he had to say. He walked over to look out of his window. The silence was killing me. Between Much's sad smile and Robin's odd behavior, I was beginning to worry.

"Marian," he began. He had my attention, but it was almost as if he did not know how to go on. I walked over to him, grabbed his hand, and squeezed it, encouraging him to go on. He smiled down at me, but his eyes held traces of sadness.

"Marian," he held my hand tightly, "There's something I need to tell you."

"What is it?" I would die of suspense if he didn't tell me what was wrong soon.

He sighed.

"I'm joining the Crusades."

His words hit me like a slap in the face. My stomach dropped. No, not the Crusades, he couldn't go. The Holy War had begun when I was twelve. King Richard, my distant blood cousin, had left to lead the Crusades. Young men flocked to this war, ready to die for king and country and most succeeded in this. Robin couldn't go, he just couldn't!

Feeling like I had been punched in the stomach. I released Robin's hand and backed away.

"Marian, please." I could tell that hurt him, and I was glad. How could he do this to me?

"Why?" I asked softly.

"Why? Why what, Marian?"

"Why are you leaving me?" I nearly screamed at him.

"Marian, please, I," he tried to explain.

"Just tell me, Robin! Just give me a straight answer! Why are you leaving me?!" Now I _was_ screaming at him.

"Because I can't breathe here, Marian! Because I still haven't recovered from the death of my mother, because I HAVE to get out of here!" he shot back. His words pierced my heart like an arrow.

I could feel the tears forming in my eyes, threatening to pour out at any moment. I obviously couldn't make him happy. I couldn't make him better, and that hurt.

"Marian, I'm sorry, I," his voice softened, but I didn't care. Why should I anymore?

"I didn't mean it."

"Yes you did," I said coldly, my voice contained, but only barely.

"Fine, Robin, go. I don't care. But do not count on me being here when you get back," I asserted and immediately ran out of his room, the castle, and his life.

_He_ couldn't breathe? No, _I _couldn't breathe. The love of my life was leaving me to go fight in a far off place in some distant war that everyone probably forgotten the purpose of. I _loved_ him; he was leaving me, and I couldn't make things better.

Robin called after me, but I kept running. I ran and didn't stop until the shouts of he and Much, who joined in, faded. I ran until my heart felt as if it would burst out of my chest. I ran until sobs racked my body so hard that I could barely stand.

I clung to a tree for support. I slid down to the ground and buried my face in my hands. I pulled my knees up to me and just cried. I cried and cried, hoping my last words that I'd left Robin with hurt him. I hoped they hurt him as much as they hurt me to say. I was angry! Then I realized that, if he didn't come back, our last words to one another would have been words of anger. This made me to cry even harder. The world already seemed darker without him.

I noticed the sun crossing the sky as I sat there and wept. I knew time was passing, but I could never find the strength to drag myself home. Finally, as dusk painted the sky pink and orange, I decided I would have to dig deep. My family would be worried about me.

I started walking; I suppose it was more of a trudge. I wasn't exactly aware of how or where I was, but I ended up home just before the last rays of sunlight disappeared below the horizon. My mother was outside working. When she saw me, she immediately dropped the pail she was carrying and ran over.

I didn't have to say a word. She simply pulled me into a hug; all the tears I'd dried returned ten-fold. I felt as I would never stop crying, and she never let go.

By the next morning, my sobs had lessened enough for me to tell her why I was so upset. We cried together, because we both knew what joining the Crusades meant.

That night, there was a knock at my window. I got up and opened it. Fresh tears filled my eyes. It was Robin. He gazed at me with sad eyes. As angry as I was, and however much I may have meant what I'd said, I was glad to see him. We both stood, avoiding eye contact, the bars on my window the only thing separating us.

Finally, Robin reached out and took my left hand. I didn't fight him. He slipped something onto my ring finger. I inhaled my breath.

"This ring binds me to the promise I am about to make to you," he explained. I gazed into his emerald green eyes, eyes that were filled with so much deep passion, pain, and…what was the other emotion I saw in them?

"I promise that I will come home to you. I promise that I will always be here for you. And I promise that I will always love you, no matter what happens. I love you," he whispered as he placed his other hand on my cheek, pulled me to the window, and kissed me. Then, giving me a small smile, he disappeared into the darkness. That was the other emotion: love. It was strong love I had seen in his eyes, strong love, for me. And just then I realized it was the first time he ever said he loved me.

I stared down at the ring. It was beautiful. It was a golden wreath of leaves with tiny, very tiny, jewels set in the center of each. It was simple; it was perfect. No one would notice it except for me. Tears slipped down my cheeks as gazed at the ring, but it wasn't because of the beauty, it was because of the promise that came with it. I trusted Robin; he would come home. He had to.

For the next few weeks, my mother kept me busy. My brothers kept me distracted, and my father kept me practicing, which was the most painful. I didn't want to do anything that reminded me of Robin of Locksley. I didn't want to think of what could be happening to him. My mother and brothers took the approach to make me forget him while my father forced me to embrace his memory. Finally, I snapped.

I had missed the bulls-eye once again.

"Again," he ordered.

No, I couldn't go any longer. I couldn't bear it anymore. I threw my bow to the ground.

"No! I can't do this anymore!" I yelled at him.

"It's too hard!" I buried my face in my hands and fell to the ground. I was exhausted, tired of being strong and putting on a happy face. I was sick of pretending like I didn't care. My father appeared beside me and handed me my bow. I took it.

As much as it frustrated me, his method would help me the most. I knew that, and he knew that. So, I picked myself up and kept practicing; and that's how I became strong.

I was picking myself up, piece by piece, slowly putting myself back together. My brothers even got smiles and laughs out of me. But the fear Robin had expressed to me so many years ago slowly became true.

The Gisbornes had been up to something. Slowly, ever so slowly, the Sheriff of Nottingham became more and more powerful, and who but Master Gisborne became his right hand man. Where everyone was once equal, there was now a distinct line between the rich and the poor. Taxes were piled on, leveling towns and leaving people in despair.

And when I was sixteen, my life changed forever.

Knighton was attacked. Soldiers burned homes to ash, killed innocent people and held others hostage, only because my father refused to add more taxes. He stood up to the Sheriff, and the Sheriff did not take kindly to rebellion.

The soldiers took my home. Michael and Miles tried to fight them off, but there were far too many. I realized that, keeping my strength a secret. After soldiers took our home, Master Gisbourne sauntered in. I had to fight back a stream of curses that begged to escape me.

He smirked at me as he walked in. Gisborne strode over and brushed his hand against my cheek. The was powerless against his advances as a soldier held me fast.

"So, you are the young Locksley's lovely lady. Guy has told me about you. I am glad we finally get to meet face to face. I've heard stories," he whispered in my ear. I tried my best to get as far away from his face as I could, sickened at how much he seemed to enjoy my struggle.

Thankfully he moved along. I stole a glance at my brothers who did not look happy at the exchange that Gisborne and I had shared.

He walked over to my father.

"Now that we have your attention, my dear Edward, I would like to make something _very_ clear," he hissed. My father bravely held his gaze.

"No one, not even a noble, disobeys the Sheriff," Gisborne continued. My father held his head high.

"Very well, do what you will to me, but I will not condemn these people," my father was brave, and I was so much like him. Neither of us knew when to hold our tongues.

"Fear not, no harm will come to you," Gisborne assured, sauntering around to the various members of my family. He passed me, my brothers, and then came to my mother. My stomach dropped. He was going to kill my mother.

He pulled a dagger out of his jacket and circled my mother. Her eyes betrayed no fear. I knew I had to do something quickly, so I decided now was a good time to make my grand escape.

I noticed the soldier's grip on me had loosened. Big mistake. I drove my elbow into his stomach. As he keeled over in pain, I whirled around and punched him in the jaw. I couldn't help but feel a sharp pang in my chest. Robin had taught me that move.

The soldier fell as I tried to shake the pain out of my hand. My brothers had the same idea as me. Their captors were also keeled over on the ground. My parents' eyes were as round as plates; their mouths nearly hit the floor as they gaped at us. In any other situation, I would have laughed. But this was neither the time nor the place.

The three of us turned on Gisborne. He had the dagger at my mother's throat. Her breathing was short, but her eyes showed nothing but courage. That was when I knew. It didn't matter how hard we would fight or how intimidating we might be. My mother was going to die.

"Very impressive," Gisborne seethed, "Now, as I was saying, Edward, no one disobeys the Sheriff and gets away with it so…" and with that he sliced his knife across my mother's throat. Everything happened in slow motion.

Master Gisborne released my mother and she fell limply to the ground. I ran to her side. I think I screamed, but if I did, no one heard. There was too much noise now.

As I knelt beside her, she smiled at me. Then, she closed her eyes, and passed on to the next world. I cried over her.

All of a sudden, time caught up with me. The noise and fighting and mass of bodies hit me all at once. My father had broken free of his captors and joined my brothers in fighting Gisborne and his men. I glanced out the window and saw more men coming. Looking down at my mother, I planted a kiss on her forehead, and jumped up. I couldn't do anything more for her here.

"Michael!" I called to my eldest brother. He glanced at me; I pointed out the window. He followed my hand and saw what I meant.

"We have to go!" I called to him. He nodded and grabbed Miles. He went to grab my father, but he refused.

"Save your brother and sister. I will follow," he insisted as he continued to fight. Michael dragged Miles out of the house as I followed close behind. Michael was bigger than me and therefore faster. By the time I was out of the house, he was already entering Sherwood. I ran after him, but someone caught me around the waist and covered my mouth. I struggled against him, but I was tired. The night was starting to catch up with me. From beating down the soldier to watching my mother die, I was exhausted. I gave up and allowed myself to be dragged back into what was left of my home.

The fighting had somewhat subsided. My father was surrounded with his hands in the air. All was seemingly calm.

"Now, Edward, what are we going to do about _this_ offense?" Gisborne mockingly inquired. His hair stuck out at odd angles and there was a nasty scar spanning from his ear to his chin while a bruise was beginning to form above his right eye. I smiled to myself. My brothers did good work.

"We're going to have to take Marian," he sighed. All traces of the smile I had been entertaining earlier disappeared. Excuse me? He had to be joking! I had to have heard him wrong.

"No, please!" my father protested, "Kill me! Please!"

"Well, that would just be too easy!" Gisborne was enjoying this. I knew it, and it made me sick. I also knew what I had to do. I had to do it for my village, for my father, and for me.

"You ask me to watch another parent die?" I exclaimed. Much like my father, I didn't know when to hold my tongue.

Every pair of eyes in that room turned to face me.

"No," I continued, "I will not, not when I can help it."

"Please, Marian, don't," my father begged. I had to turn away from him or I would have changed my mind. Instead, I faced my mother's murderer.

"I will go with you," I conceded.

"You will?" Gisborne was obviously expecting a fight of some sort. Too bad, he wasn't going to get one from me. Not right now, anyway.

"As long as you promise that the people of Knighton and my family will be safe," I finished. Master Gisborne pondered this. Eventually, he looked back at me.

"Alright," he said, "As long as you remain in Nottingham Castle, your village and family will remain safe."

I nodded. Gisborne grabbed me. He pulled me outside, but not before he could make one last parting comment.

"Nice doing business with you, Edward."

I couldn't look at my father until I was on Gisborne's horse. I saw him through the window, kneeling on the floor, his head in his hands.

It hurt so much to see him like this. However, the last thing, the last image that passed through my mind before leaving Knighton was not my father, not my mother, not my brothers or my terrorized village, but my sweetheart, Robin of Locksley. I don't know why, but I just asked the sky, and wherever my sweetheart was one question. _Robin, where are you?_ As the promise he had made to me years ago ran through my mind. "_I promise that I will come home to you. I promise that I will always be here for you. And I promise that I will always love you, no matter what happens. I love you."_

Which is how I ended up where I am now, Nottingham Castle, almost three years later.


	2. Two

"Goodness, Marian, tell me you have chosen a gown for tonight," my friend, Charlotte, demanded. She was the Sheriff's niece and moved into Nottingham Castle indefinitely when I arrived. We were from two ends of the spectrum but somehow we got along.

When I had first arrived at the castle and was shown to my room, I stayed locked in there for days crying. I cried for my mother, for my father, and for my village. All the tears I had held in from that night came pouring out for the next three days until a knock came at my door. It was Charlotte; I had told her to go away, but she wouldn't leave. She threatened to have my door broken down and me thrown into the dungeon, so I finally gave in. She marched in, took one look at me, and left. She returned an hour later with a plethora of dresses all different styles and colors. As she was putting my clothes away she chattered on and on as I blatantly ignored her until she finally told me that I needed to get off my butt and do something with myself. She obviously didn't understand what I was going through, but she was right. She told me exactly what my father would have. Our hesitant acquaintanceship evolved into a surprising friendship. Charlotte became me rock in the prison that was Nottingham Castle.

I glanced at her from my perch at the window. Her golden blonde hair cascaded down her back all the way to her waist and her tall, dainty figured towered over me. Her baby blue eyes stared at me with disbelief. I shot her an innocent smile.

"You don't have a gown yet?!" she cried despairingly. I couldn't help but laugh. She could be a real drama queen sometimes.

"Calm down, Charlie, I'll just wear one I have," I explained, walking over to my closet that had gradually grown over the years. Every time I opened it, a wave of nausea swept over me. How could I have so much while the masses had so little?

"You're not serious, are you?" she asked.

I rolled my eyes, bracing myself for the lecture that would come next.

"Goodness, you are! Marian! This is the BIGGEST night of my LIFE! It's my birthday, AND I'm officially being introduced to the world. I WANT to find a nice suitor!" she whined, dragging me out of my room and down the hall no doubt to the tailor's room. Funny how everyone seemed to do that to me, drag me around I mean. I might as well be a child's play thing.

My assumption was correct; moments later we were in the castle tailor's room.

"Hello," she smiled, "My friend here needs a dress for tonight. I was thinking wine purple with long sleeves and a flowing skirt. And gold! Lace gold into there somewhere!" she exclaimed. The tailor nodded as Charlotte left, mumbling quietly about colors and dresses and how clueless I could be.

"And don't forget the mask!" Charlotte called. Charlotte's "introduction" ball was a masquerade.

"Thank you," I nodded to the tailor before following Charlotte out.

We spent the rest of the day talking and walking about the castle. Well, Charlotte was really doing all the talking as I pretended to listen. Since I was taken to Nottingham, I was slowly given more and more freedom. At first, I was able to leave the castle as long as I did not leave Nottingham. Then I was allowed to visit my father and brothers, well, brother. Miles also went off to fight in the Holy Land, another difficult time for me. Michael, however, remained home with my father with no intentions of heading off to war.

My father once told me that Miles and Michael were planning on trying to break me out before Miles left for the War. My father told them it would be more dangerous if they did come after me, that I was safer in Nottingham. I had simply nodded and changed the subject.

Life in the castle wasn't completely unbearable, but it was close to it. As the years passed, my faith in Robin's promise began to fade. Eventually, I moved the ring to my other hand, but I kept it on the same finger. For some reason, I couldn't bear to part with it, no matter how much I wanted to. However, Guy, who had come to take his father's place after his "sudden" death, began to show interest in me. I couldn't let him know about Robin's promise to me; it could be dangerous if Robin did return. The less Guy knew of me, the better.

I found myself wondering about him, Robin I mean, as I stared out into the distant Sherwood. How I missed the forest. I longed for its earthy smell, the sounds of critters in the underbrush, the feel of freedom and peace. How I missed the freedom. No matter how much freedom I may have been granted from my imprisonment, I would always feel like a prisoner here, always.

"Um, Marian, are you alright?" Charlotte asked me.

I came back to reality.

"Yes, I'm fine," I smiled.

"Well, you're dress ought to be just about done," she smiled, "Let's go see!" She began to run through the corridors. I followed.

Minutes later, I was fitted into my gown for the evening as Charlotte circled me like an animal, making quiet comments now and again. It was wine purple as she had ordered. Gold was laced through the corset. Tiny golden jewels also bedazzled the dress like stars in the night sky. The sleeves were long and came to a point at my middle finger and the mask was made of the same fabric as the dress. It too was bedazzled with jewels. Gold feathers shot up on the left corner. My brown hair fell into curls down my back. With everything on, I looked truly beautiful, and I hated it.

"Okay, what's wrong?" Charlotte asked. I turned away from the mirror to face her.

"Nothing," I smiled, fidgeting with my hair.

"Come on, Marian, I know you better than that. What's the matter?"

I shrugged.

"I just, really want to give you your birthday present!" I lied. Well, it wasn't a total lie; I did want to give my present to her. It was a beautiful midnight blue scarf that I thought would really bring out her eyes.

"Oh, well, I guess if you really want to, it would be alright…" she tried to make excuses as I walked over to my bureau. I opened one of the drawers and pulled out a neatly wrapped present. I handed it to her.

Charlotte immediately ripped into it. As she uncovered the lid, her eyes grew wide. There was a certain shine in them as she held the scarf up to her face.

"Oh, Marian, it's beautiful!" she exclaimed. She ran over and hugged me.

"Thank you!"

"You're welcome," I giggled.

"Well, I have to be going get ready! The party is going to start soon!" she laughed as she skipped out. I waved after her. I had about an hour until the party started, and I couldn't change out of my dress, so I was pretty much stuck. I decided to talk a walk outside. I needed some fresh air.

The castle had a beautiful garden filled with various trees and the most beautiful flowers. There were little benches and even a small pond. Rows and rows of fruit trees lined pathways, so it was easy to stay out here all day. I often came out here alone to think.

Unfortunately, today I was not alone. As I sat on one of the larger rocks near the pond, I could feel eyes watching me. I turned and met the dark gaze and slack jaw of Guy of Gisborne.

"Hello, Sir Guy," I greeted before turning back to the pond. I silently wished he would leave. I could feel his gaze burning my back. Finally, I had enough. I rose and turned to face him. He continued to stare.

"You know it's rude to stare," I informed as I walked into a row of cherry trees. Guy followed.

"Forgive me, milady. But, your beauty…has me mesmerized," he explained. I faced him.

"Thank you," I replied, feeling quite uncomfortable. I looked up at the orange and purple streaked sky. The sun was just beginning its descent; it was almost time for the party.

"I must go, Sir Guy. Charlotte will be expecting me," I excused, trying to make my escape.

"Marian," he caught me hand. I glanced down at it, and then up at him.

"I hope you will save a me a dance…"

I sighed.

"Of course, Sir Guy, now I must go," I curtseyed before returning to the castle; glad to be free of him. I made my way to Charlotte's room. She was just putting the finishing touches on her hair when I walked in.

"Wow," I breathed, "You look beautiful."

And she did. Her gown was an ivory color. Her sleeves were puffy and flowed slowly and gracefully every time she moved. Silver embroidery was sewn throughout the dress. While my dress hung loosely from me, hers covered a hoop. Her blond hair was braided down her back and it was also laced with silver. Her mask matched her gown like mine. My best friend was glowing.

"Thank you," she grinned. Trumpets blared somewhere in the castle announcing the beginning of the party. Charlotte squealed, grabbed my hand, and pulled to the ballroom.

The ballroom was decorated beautifully. Ivory tapestries hung from the ceiling. Gold and silver glittered throughout the room, from glasses, to plates, to champagne and more. It was as if someone lassoed the stars and painted them across the ceiling. It was dazzling, and matched my dear friend perfectly.

People already filled the beautiful space. Colors spun through the room as couples danced to the lively tune. Everything seemed perfect.

Charlotte danced the night away with suitors from all across the land. I danced as well and had a surprisingly good time until the tempo of the music slowed and Guy approached me. I had been avoiding him all night apparently in vain.

"Lady Marian," he bowed slightly, "Might I have this dance?"

He offered me his hand. I nodded and took it. He led me through the slow dance. We stepped and turned and began again. We twirled and twirled around the floor with the other couples. I caught a glimpse of Charlotte who was smiling and laughing with some duke.

All of a sudden, in the midst of the twirling and dancing, someone screamed.

"Thieves!" the feminine voice shrieked. I could see people being pushed around. Before I knew it, three guys shoved passed me. I could've sworn I heard one of them laugh.

Seconds later, chaos erupted. Guy called out to his men, charging after the bandits thus leaving me in the middle of the floor, alone. That was perfectly fine with me.

I managed to slip out of the ballroom and into one of the corridors. Guy and his men were shouting in the distance. I inched toward the sound. This was the most action I had seen since I arrived; I wasn't going to miss a moment.

I entered the hallway near the garden. The shouting was fading in the distance. I ran to try to catch them, but to no avail. Amidst my disappointment, I heard soft footsteps just in front of me. I froze, glancing around. There was a large candelabrum lighting the hallway. I grabbed it, sank into the shadows against the wall, and waited.

A man appeared moments later. He was dressed fairly nicely; he could've easily blended with the crowd. But a closer look reveled the formal wear of a commoner. I recognized the similarities between those and the clothes I used to wear.

He was also wearing a mask, so I couldn't see his face. He was, however, carrying a small chest. I recognized it as Charlotte's jewelry chest. I couldn't let him take that, not on her birthday!

As soon as he passed me, I stepped out of the shadows.

"Excuse me!" I called sweetly. The thief stopped in his tracks. Cautiously, he turned to face me. I studied him carefully, my hand resting on the candelabrum.

"Good evening to you, milady," he bowed mockingly before turning to go. As if he would get away so easily.

"Where are you going with that?" I asked, gesturing to the chest. We were both quiet for a moment, only staring at one another. He gathered his thoughts, and I waited for an answer I knew wouldn't come.

"Look, people are starving. They _need_ this money! Of course, I don't expect you to understand," he spat. I was taken aback. _I_ didn't understand? Of course I understood! Did he think I could not see what was happening to England? I knew people were starving! I knew people were poor! And I did everything in my power to help them! I snuck out of the castle to give them food and money! I had seen first hand the damage the Sheriff was inflicting on Nottingham and all the surrounding towns. I saw what Prince John was doing to England.

"I do understand," I muttered, clearly surprising him.

"But I can't let you take that," I finished pulling the candelabrum from its place, ready to strike. I still practiced my fighting skills as my father and Robin had once taught me. Practicing in a small room was very different compared to a large forest, but this outlaw didn't need to know that.

"And why not?"

"Because that belongs to my friend," I explained.

"Well then," he smirked, entertainment evident in his voice, "I guess we're going to have to fight for it."

"I was hoping you'd say that," I smiled. With his invitation, I swung the candelabrum, nailing him in the stomach. He keeled over…laughing.

Almost immediately, he recovered and grabbed the candelabrum. He flung me around against the hard, stone, wall. I think he thought I would be that easy to beat. He had another think coming.

I jumped up and kicked him. This time, though, it hurt. Using this precious time of confusion, I brought his head down on my knee and then moved to punch him when he caught my hand.

His nose was bleeding and his lip had been cut badly. Good, he'd gotten what he deserved. I wasn't finished just yet, not even close. I hadn't felt this alive in years.

He twisted my arm behind my back, so I kicked him in the shin. He fell to the floor and I was about to finish him off when I heard more footsteps. Guy and his men were here. Fantastic. How was I going to explain this?

I grabbed Charlotte's chest and ran. Now the footsteps were coming from both directions. What could I tell him? That I was just passing through and got lucky? That some guard swooped in and saved me?

Fortunately, it was not Guy that I had to answer to. Unfortunately, it was the elusive band of thieves. There were more than I had counted at the ball; I was surrounded.

"Well, what have we here?" one of them snickered, circling me.

"You alright there, Alan?" another laughed.

"What'ya got there, love," still another gestured to the box in my hands. That voice. That voice sounded somewhat familiar.

I was about to answer them with something awful when shouts sounded in the distance that could only be Guy and his men.

"What do we do?" one of the men asked the guy who'd asked me about Charlotte's jewelry chest. All eyes looked to him. He had his hood down, so I couldn't make out any of his features.

"The girl," the guy I had just beaten, Alan, suggested. Everyone turned to him for an explanation, including me. What could they use me for?

"We keep her as a hostage for our ticket out of the castle."

My throat suddenly felt dry.

"No, we don't do that," the leader I concluded, said.

"You got a better idea? We can make it up to her later! Right now, we need to get out of here!" Alan exclaimed as the shouts continued to grow louder. The leader seemed torn. He didn't speak for moments that seemed to stretch on for eternity. Finally he nodded.

"Alright, we take her. But no harm comes to her," he ordered. I immediately whirled around to run, but one of the outlaws, an extremely large and burly one, grabbed me. I struggled against his strong grip. I cried out, but his big hands covered my mouth before any sound could escape me.

The five thieves jumped into the garden with me in tow. At the far wall, there was a rope ladder waiting. One at a time, they nimbly scaled the wall. My captor heaved me up onto his back and began the climb. He was strong; I'd give that to him.

Once everyone was over the wall they took off running and didn't stop until we were in a dark place.

The smells, the sounds, the feel, even in the dark of the night I knew exactly where they'd taken me…Sherwood Forest.


	3. Three

Finally, I was roughly dropped into a clearing, but that was not the end of my captivity. Now they had rope. They bound my hands and formed a circle around me. Why did it seem like no matter what I did, no matter where I went, I would always be a prisoner?

I whirled to face the leader and gasped. Now that His face was no longer shrouded in darkness, I realized who kidnapped me. It was Robin Hood.

I had heard stories about him. I didn't know who he really was or where he came from, but I knew that for the past few weeks he had been giving the Sheriff lots of trouble, earning a small price on his head. I had often heard the Sheriff complaining about him. In any other situation, I would give him a medal. He had allegedly roughed up a couple of the Sheriff's men and was, thereby, deemed and outlaw. It was more likely he just embarrassed them, but it wasn't my place to say. Not exactly intimidating outlaw material. No one, not even I really cared for the Sheriff's guard. However, he was an outlaw all the same, and steadily becoming more well known. That scared me.

I tried my best to hide my fear. Thank goodness I was wearing a mask. I'm sure my eyes would've betrayed me, as always. I'm also glad my hands were tied; it helped hide the shaking.

"Have you searched her, yet?" Robin Hood asked one of his men. That voice. The man shook his head.

"Well, go on then!" even while ordering his man to search me his eyes never left me. While the man was searching my dress and pockets, making me more that slightly uncomfortable, I continued to study at the infamous Robin Hood.

Now that one of the men had provided sufficient firelight, I could make out some of his features: broad, tanned shoulders, strong stance, and an arrogant smile. Most of his face was still masked in shadow.

"Hey, I got something!" the man cried victoriously, slipping the ring off of my right hand. I grabbed for it, but he was too quick. The man simply laughed and threw it to Hood.

"Please," I begged, "That has great value to me."

"Well, now it can have great value to some poor family!" Hood shot back. I wanted to do something, but what? I was already beaten in numbers alone.

Hood and his men were laughing. Laughing! That ring was the only thing I had left of home, of Robin!

Then, Hood's laugh abruptly stopped.

"What is it, Master?" one of his men asked. That voice! I recognized that voice, too! Master? Wait…

My head snapped up. I gazed at Hood and my mouth fell open. No, it couldn't be.

Hood held my ring carefully. He examined it for a long time.

"This is my ring," he finally whispered. My stomach dropped and I instantly felt very nauseous. No, not this. Not now. Not him.

"I gave it to someone a very long time ago," as he finished, his eyes met mine. I gazed at him. It just couldn't be. Could it?

He went to say something but was interrupted by the thundering gallop of horses.

"Robin, it's Guy!" one of his men called.

"Rob, come on! Rob, we've got to go!" the big man began to drag him away. Robin continued to stare at me. Just before he turned and followed his men, I caught a glimpse of his eyes. They were a deep, emerald green.


	4. Four

Moments later, Guy arrived and whisked me away to the castle. The moment I got there, I was nearly tackled by Charlotte.

"Oh, Marian, oh thank the Lord you're alright! I was so worried about you! I—" It dawned on her that we were not alone. She let out a nervous laugh, nodding at Guy.

"I shall take it from here, Sir Guy," she smiled, gently tugging me away.

"Um, Marian," Guy began. I stopped Charlotte and turned to face him.

"I can have a guard posted outside of your room for protection," he offered. I smiled at his chivalrous gesture. As nervous and shook up as I may have been, it was not for the reason Guy suspected. I would need to have time to myself to think, so a guard would simply not do.

"That won't be necessary," I assured. I placed my hand gently on his arm.

"Thank you, Guy, for everything."

I think my gesture took him by surprise, but I really was thankful. I was thankful that I didn't have to face whatever waited for me in Sherwood. I was thankful I could shut myself away and pretend nothing happened.

"Of course," he bowed before rejoining his men in the search for Robin Hood. I turned on my heel, ready to lie in my bed and think over what had happened. But that didn't happen thanks to Charlotte.

She pulled me down the corridors and into her room and then sat me on her bed to immediately begin her rant.

"How dare he? I mean how _dare _he?! He had the nerve to barge into _my_ party and steal from _my _guests! Just…how _DARE_ he?!" the rant went pretty much along these lines. How _dare_ Robin Hood? Just how _dare_ he?

After the first few minutes, I zoned out, opting instead to stare out of her window.

What if Guy hadn't interrupted us? What would I have found out? Who was Robin Hood really? But that wasn't my real question. These weren't the questions that were truly bothering me. Deep down, the real question was: Did I even want to know who Robin Hood _really _was?

"Marian, oh Marian, I'm sorry!" I snapped back at the mention of my name.

"Whatever for?" I asked.

"I haven't even bothered to see if you were okay! How are you? Did they harm you? What happened?"

I thought about those questions, only then realized how tired I was. I was in no mood to relay the events of tonight until I could sort them out for myself.

"Oh, I'm fine Charlotte. I'm just tired from what happened. I hope you won't mind if I turn in early," I rose from my place on her bed.

She gave me a pitiful smile and nodded.

"Of course," she agreed, "Would you like me to walk with you to your room?"

"Oh no! I'll be fine!" I replied, walking out the door. My room was just down that hall and to the right. Once I was safely inside, I shut the door and locked it. I stood with my back against it for a few moments.

Finally, I pulled myself together and sat down at my mirror. I took my mask off, grabbed my brush and began to gently brush my hair. While I did this, my mind wandered. What happened tonight? I tried to think of everything that occurred, but I found it all a bit foggy. I finally came to the conclusion that I would be able to better sort things out in the morning.

I glanced back up at my mirror and gasped. There was a man behind me. I jumped up, whirling to face the stranger in my room. All the air left my lungs. I'd come face-to-face with my past, the past I had been running away from it for nearly six years, and now it hit me full force.

I found my voice. He would not do this to me. I would be strong.

"Robin," I acknowledged without emotion.

"Marian," he greeted me after a short pause. Welcome home.


	5. Chapter 5

**I honestly thought these chapters were longer, but this is a big one! Lots of stuff going on! To my avid readers, I hope you all enjoy!**

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><p><strong>Chapter 5<strong>

"It's…been a long time," Robin continued. I scoffed.

"_That_ is an understatement," I backed up, leaning against my bureau to both look like I was calm, and for support so I wouldn't faint.

"M—"

"So, how was the Holy Land?" I cut him off.

"Bloodthirsty," he answered after a few moments. I looked into his eyes. They showed anger, hurt, and the ghosts of the past. Not the past that I was a part of, though…the past that he left me for. I fought the urge to comfort him. I would not break down so easily. Instead, I simply nodded.

"How long have you been back?"

"A couple of weeks," he replied. Wow, it didn't take him very long to get on the Sheriff's bad side. I remained silent. I did my part. Now it was his turn to talk.

"So, how have you been?" he asked.

I gave him an incredulous look.

"I've been better," I replied.

"I've really missed you, Marian," he said. I stared at him as he walked over and took my hand. I immediately pulled away from his grasp. I could see where he was going with this.

"Did you really think that you could swoop in through my window, charm me with your silver tongue, and things would just pick up where they'd left off?" I asked.

"Um…yes," he replied. I laughed. I outright laughed in his face. I tried to find joking in his eyes but there was none. He was completely serious.

"As you said, Robin, it's been a _long_ time! I've changed, _you've _changed," and he had. His hair was longer and lighter. He was taller. _Much_ taller. His arms were toned and more muscular than they'd been when he left. I could see faint scars from battles past. He left a boy, and came back a man. But his eyes, his eyes were still the same. And somehow, I knew his smile was, too.

But that didn't change anything. I continued with my rant.

"When I needed you most, you weren't there for me," I finished. His eyes gave away confusion, so I clarified.

"When your mother died, I was there for you. I held you as you cried for her! While I watched mine murdered at the hand of the late Gisborne, where were you? You were off fighting in your Holy War, a war that's not even ours!" At this point I was nearly screaming.

"That's not fair," he said, trying to contain his frustration.

"No, it's not!" I shot back, "And the worst part, is that I still haven't had anyone, because the moment she was killed, I was taken away to this castle, this prison, where I've had to fend for myself for the past three years," I finished. I could feel tears welling up in my eyes, but I would not cry in front of this boy. I'd already wasted too many tears on him.

"Marian, I," he walked towards me.

"I want you to leave. I want you to leave and not come back. You seem to be good at that," I seethed. My eyes were downcast. I couldn't look at him. I went to turn away from him, but he grabbed my hand. I whirled back to face him.

"Marian, please."

"Get…out," I ordered. I could see hurt in his eyes. Good, now he knew what I felt like. As he backed away, more emotions mixed in with the hurt. There was anger. There was frustration. And there was determination.

Just as he was about to leave, he faced me. He was holding something up.

"Before I left, I promised you three things. I promised that I would come home safely to you, and I have. I promised that I would always be here for you."

"You weren't," I put in, but he kept going.

"And I promised I would love you forever, no matter what happened," he whispered before disappearing into the night. I glanced back to where he was. My ring lay upon the sill. I walked over and grabbed it, slipping it onto my finger. Yes, he did promise me these things.

With Robin's old promises now fresh in my head, I changed into my night clothes, lay in my bed, and cried myself to sleep.

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><p><strong>So, Marian has had her first confrontation with Robin in almost five years. Is he the same man that left her? How will things change between them? Does absence really make the heart grow fonder? R&amp;R!<strong>


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6, I hope all of my loyal, avid readers enjoy! Thanks so much all of the reviews!**

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><p><strong>Chapter 6<strong>

The next morning I woke to a knocking at my door.

"Lady Marian?" someone called softly. I turned in my bed. Please, a few more minutes!

"Lady Marian?" this time it was a little louder. I recognized the voice as male. If I kept him waiting any longer, I might cause a scene. And a scene was the LAST thing I needed right now.

"Just a moment," I called back groggily. I got up and slipped on my robe. I passed my mirror before getting to the door. I must say I looked perfectly awful. My eyes were still red from my crying last night. My hair looked as though a rat had taken up residence in it.

"Marian?"

I hadn't much time. I quickly ran a brush through my hair. I opened the door and was met with Sir Guy. He bowed slightly.

"Milady, I'm sorry if I've awoken you."

"Oh, no, of course not!" I replied as any lady would.

"I just, wanted to make sure you were well," he said. I smiled at him. I may not have been able to stand his attempts at wooing me, but that was very thoughtful.

"I am fine," I assured him.

"Please, let me know if you need anything," he took my hand and kissed it.

"Of course," I nodded before returning to the safety of my room. I shut and locked the door as I did last night. I decided it was time to get ready. I looked out the window. The sky was a clear blue. The sun was shining. Yes, this would be the perfect day to go riding.

I changed into my riding clothes. They were pants covered with a skirt so I would still look suitable, but be able to move easier. I'd designed them myself. I pulled on a light white blouse with a hood and fitted a brown corset over it. Finally, I slipped on my riding boots, pulled up the top part of my hair to keep it out of my face, and headed out of my room…where I promptly ran into Charlotte.

"Where are you going?" she asked, eyeing my outfit.

"I figured today would be a nice day for a ride," I replied.

"Are you mad, Marian? After what happened last night with the outlaws? And you want to go out? Absolutely not!"

I scoffed.

"And what are you going to do about it?" I asked pushing passed her.

"I'll tell Gisborne! He'd never let you go!" she shot back. I slowly turned to her. I narrowed my eyes.

"Fine," I replied. I was in no mood to fight with her.

"But I still want to go for a ride. Why don't you accompany me? I'll tell the guards and let Guy know. Surely he would not let me go without escorts. Would that make you happy?" I'd have to talk to Guy anyway. I needed permission to leave the castle.

She thought about it for a moment.

"Very well," she finally agreed, "Go talk to Gisborne while I change. I'll meet you at the stables."

I nodded as we parted ways.

About twenty minutes later, we were saddling our horses. She was right about Gisborne. He was _not _happy about me going out. He sent three guards to accompany us. This wasn't exactly what I'd had in mind for a nice day of riding, but it would have to do.

Charlotte and I mounted our horses. Hers was white. Mine was tan with a blond mane and tail. Charlotte surprised me with her for my last birthday. I'd named her Lady. She was beautiful and graceful…everything I was not. I figured she deserved the title more than I did.

We rode out of the stables and onto a road that led through a meadow and eventually came into Sherwood Forest.

As we rode we made small talk. Finally, Charlotte seemed to have enough of that.

"Um, excuse me, could you guys give us a little space?" she asked.

"Sorry, milady, we were asked to keep you two safe," one of the faceless guards mumbled.

"And might I say you are doing a wonderful job," she smiled, "But you could still keep watch a couple of paces back, don't you think? I need to talk to my friend here privately."

The three guards looked at each other. Finally, they nodded and retreated back.

She thanked the guards. Once they were out of earshot, she started talking.

"So, I saw you with Sir Guy last night," she smiled knowingly at me, "He seems to fancy you."

"Yes," I replied with less emotion than I meant to. I instantly regretted it.

"What is it?" she asked as her face fell, "He seems to really like you."

"He does," I replied.

"So, what's the problem?"

I waited a moment before answering.

"It's…complicated."

"Marian," she sighed exasperatedly. "You can't wait forever for whatever guy it is you're waiting for!"

I looked at her funny. What did she mean?

"I see the way you daydream. You hardly _ever_ listen to me when I talk to you."

Oh, so she did notice my frequent daydreaming.

"You can't wait forever, and he hasn't come for you yet. It's time to move on."

She said it like it was the simplest thing in the world. Well it wasn't. Especially since the guy I'd been thinking about had suddenly returned. She could never understand.

But instead of arguing, I just nodded and smiled. She grabbed my hand and gave it a squeeze. Now it was time to change the subject. I went to open my mouth, but was interrupted by the shouts of the guards.

"Outlaws!"

Charlotte and I looked at each other. She instantly began to scream. Arrows whizzed through the air around us. She managed to turn her horse and take off back towards the castle with the guards. I was not so lucky.

Lady panicked as arrows were shot at her feet. She whinnied and began to buck.

"Whoa, girl," I tried to calm her. But it wasn't enough. She managed to kick me off and take of running with the rest of my comrades.

I hit the ground with a thud. Ugh, my head. It hurt. I noticed figures moving throughout the trees.

"Have we met before?"

I focused in on the voice and the person it belonged to. I tried to get up.

"Hold on."

I felt a blade pointed at my throat. My head was throbbing, but I was finally able to focus in on the voice. I let out a groan and fell back to the ground.

"You again," I greeted.

"Ah yes, I thought we'd gotten rid of you last night," he said as he removed his sword and offered me his hand. I took it.

"You did," I replied. He pulled me up. I thanked him. He nodded.

"So what are you doing here?" he asked. I was a bit surprised that he wasn't mad at me about last night. I thought sure he would be bitter as any proud man would. Instead, he was smiling at me, waiting for an answer.

"Well, I _was_ riding until we were ambushed, by you I suppose. My horse kicked me off and ran back towards the castle which is also where my friend and guards ran to," I explained warily. He was, after all, an outlaw. He nodded.

"Well, looks like you're coming with me," he grabbed my arm.

"Excuse me?" I asked as I began to struggle against him.

"Calm down," he held onto me firmly.

"Having problems, Alan?"

We both turned towards the voice. My mouth dropped.

"Much?" I asked incredulously.

"Marian?" he seemed equally surprised.

"Much!" I broke free of Alan and tackled Much into a hug. Unlike Robin, I wasn't bitter about Much. I'd missed him so! I missed his sweet boyish smile. I missed his laugh. I missed _him_.

He laughed that boyish laugh that he'd always had as he hugged me tight.

"Wow, Marian, it's been so long!" he commented as he pulled away. There was a moment of silence as we each surveyed the other. How he'd grown!

His orange hair had turned to a dusty red. There was the beginning of a beard on his face. His blue eyes seemed to have turned a shade darker. He was still taller than me, but only by half a head. He'd grown stouter. However, his eyes still held that surprising look that they did when we first met. His smile was still the same. I was _so_ glad to see him!

"Marian…you're beautiful."

I giggled.

"Thank you, Much. The years have treated you nicely as well." He blushed.

"We must take you to see Robin! They're probably back at the camp by now, come on!" he began to pull me away.

"Um, Much," I grabbed his hand, "I don't think that is such a good idea."

I didn't know how Robin had taken my verbal beating. I didn't want to know. It was just too soon.

"Why?" Much asked. His face had fallen. I was just about to explain when a voice sounded from one of the trees.

"Yes, why Marian?"

I searched the surrounding trees. Finally, I found him: Robin Hood. He smirked at me as he walked into the clearing. I rolled my eyes at him.

"The guards will notice I am gone, and when they do, they'll come after me. And if I'm with you, then they'll come after you," I explained to him as I would explain the reason for doing chores to a five-year-old child. He seemed to enjoy this.

"Well, they can't come after you if they can't find you," Robin said after a few moments, "And if they can't find you, then they can't find me!" He made it sound like this made the most sense in the world.

"Yes, Marian! Just come with us for a little while. We can escort you back whenever you are ready!" Much seemed really excited.

Robin looked at me expectantly. Much gave me an encouraging smile. At last I sighed, defeated.

"Very well, but I can't stay long."

"Oh of course not!" Much agreed as he grabbed my hand and began hauling me to wherever it was we were going.

"Um, Much."

He turned to face Robin.

"Blindfold..."

Blindfold? Much gave Robin an incredulous look. Oh, blindfold! Robin didn't trust me to reveal the location of his camp.

I glared at Robin. Much just stood there.

"Well, get on with it," Robin ordered, a hidden smirk evident on his face.

"I'm sorry, Marian," Much whispered.

"It's alright, Much."

"For what it's worth, I trust you," he said while getting a cloth to blindfold me.

"I know," and I did.

I knew Robin trusted me on some level as well. He just wanted to make things hard for me.

I shut my eyes while Much tied a piece of cloth over my eyes. Once he was done, my hand was taken and I was guided through the forest.

"Now don't you lead me to my death or anything, Much!" I laughed.

"I won't," someone whispered in my ear, but it wasn't Much, it was Robin. I went rigid. He startled me, being so close. So _he_ was the one holding my hand.

I didn't say anything for the rest of the trip. I didn't know where we were. I didn't know how far we'd gone into the forest. I didn't know how long we'd been walking. Eventually, though, we did stop. My blindfold was removed. I had to blink a few times so I could adjust to the light. When I could finally see clearly, I gasped.

What I was standing before was a regular old camp. However, that is not what I was gasping at. Looking up, I saw huts in the trees, with bridges going from one to the other.

"Wow," I breathed.

"Yeah," Robin agreed, admiring the trees. Instantly, I felt silly being impressed in front of him. However, after a moment, I realized he genuinely agreed with me. He truly admired these trees and the work done. A closer look revealed that lots of work still needed to be done, but it was wonderful all the same.

"Who's that?" someone called. I finally pulled my eyes away from the masterpiece in the trees to face the voice. The camp was busying itself when we walked in, but now everything stopped. All eyes were on us.

"This is the Lady Marian of Knighton," Robin introduced me. I smiled to the faces in the camp. The only one I recognized was the large man that hauled me away last night.

"We met her last night," Robin clued. Instantly, the camp erupted into "Oh yeahs" and "That's rights!" The large burly man trotted up to me.

"Look, I'd just like to apologize for last night, you know how it is, following orders," he gestured to Robin. As angry as I still was about that, I couldn't help but laugh as he led me to sit down. I stole a glance at Robin. He rolled his eyes at the man, but still kept that crooked smile.

"By the way, I'm John, John Little," the man introduced.

"Don't you mean Little John!" one of the men shouted. The camp erupted into laughter…all except John himself. I couldn't help but giggle a little bit. The man who'd shouted the tease at John was the next to introduce himself.

"I'm David, David of Dancaster…but everyone calls me Davey. It's a pleasure milady," he kissed my hand.

"Officially, I'm Alan a Dale. It's good to finally meet you," Alan smiled. I returned it.

"And this," Robin finished off, "Is Will Scarlet." He gestured to a dark-haired boy who seemed to only be about a year older than I. He had deep, dark eyes, but his smile was sweet as he nodded to me.

"So, Marian," Much sat me down on a log by the fire, "How have you been?"

And that was most of the conversation. Much and I spoke of what we'd been up to the last few years. The rest of the outlaws made funny comments here and there. I hadn't laugh so much and hard in probably all of my life and certainly not for the past years.

All the while we were talking and joking, I kept glancing at Robin. Every time I looked at him, his eyes were firmly trained on me. I don't think he stopped gazing at me the whole time, which made me feel a bit uncomfortable.

After one of Much's stories of he and Robin's journey home, he'd accompanied him to the Holy Land, I realized that the sun was nearly halfway through the sky.

"Oh," I jumped up, "I have to be getting back!"

"So soon?" Much whined. I smiled down at him.

"Yes, Much. It was a pleasure meeting you all," I told everyone. They nodded in accordance. Much rose and hugged me.

"I'll take you back," he said.

"No," Robin's green eyes were still focused on me, "I'll take her home."

I inwardly groaned.

"Do you need anyone to go with you?" Davey asked.

Yes!

"Nope, I think we'll be fine," Robin smirked at me. I narrowed my eyes at him, turned on my heel, and began walking out of the camp. I knew he would follow. Sure enough, he trotted up beside me a few moments later.

"Marian, we need to talk," he mumbled after a few precious moments of silence.

"About what, Robin?" I snapped at him. He appeared taken aback, but recovered rather quickly.

"About…everything," he sighed. I sighed as well. As angry as I was at Robin, as hurt as I was that he left me and England here, as frustrated as I was that he showed up unexpectedly, I did miss him. And I was tired. I was tired of pretending to be so angry and hurt and frustrated. Because, in the end, none of those feelings measured up to how much I'd missed him and how much I still loved him.

I nodded, urging him to started talking. He did.

He talked about the war. He spared me no details. While I could've thrown up at times, I knew this was what he needed to do. He needed to talk about this and get it out, otherwise it would destroy him. So I just stood by him, nodded when the situation called for it, and listened.

He also talked about his and Much's journey home. They were different stories and had me giggling. He talked about seeing Miles and the Holy Land. I asked how he was. Robin said he was never better. He was currently a member of the King's guard. I smiled to myself.

Finally, it came, the question that I'd been avoiding myself for so long.

"So, what happened to your mom?"

My throat tightened at the mention of her. My vision began to blur. All these years I thought I was over it. I thought I could handle talking about it. I guess that was the thing, I always _thought_ I could talk about it, but I never actually had to. It was odd actually hearing about her, not thinking about her.

"I'm sorry," Robin sighed.

"No, it's okay," my voice cracked a bit, "I need to talk about it."

I could feel Robin's emerald gaze on me. We walked in silence while I gathered my thoughts. At last, I took a deep breath, and began.

"Knighton was attacked. My father refused to do the will of the Sheriff, and he paid dearly for it. He nearly lost his land, his people, and he lost his wife and daughter," I explained. Silent tears began to fall down my cheeks. As I continued the story of my mother's murder and my imprisonment, tears kept falling. I had to stop a few times to compose myself. God bless Robin; he never interrupted me. He just waited patiently until I began again. He always was a good listener.

Eventually, my story came to an end. The tears, however, kept falling. The fell for my mother, but they also fell in relief. It felt good to finally tell someone about _everything_ that had happened to me. I continued to cry in silence as Robin walked beside me.

"God, I'm sorry, Marian," he said, running his hand through his hair. I smiled at him.

"It's not your fault."

"No, really, Marian," he stopped, turned to face me, and grabbed my hand, "I am so sorry. I should've been here for you. I never should have gone off to that stupid war. Why should I've traveled thousands of miles, when all of England's real problems were right here?"

His sudden gesture caught me off guard. But something just felt right about it all. It felt right being here with Robin. My hand felt right in his grasp. It was just…right.

"Robin," I began suddenly, "Tell me about what happened for you to suddenly become an outlaw."

I changed the subject. Robin clearly wasn't done, but he stayed with me anyway. My request had made him chuckle.

"Well," he started as we continued our trek through Sherwood, "As we were walking into Locksley, there was a spat going on. There were about six of the Sheriff's guard huddled in a circle. One of them was holding a boy, Will Scarlet, to be exact. He was caught with a weapon. I hadn't realized that commoners were no longer allowed to possess weapons. Anyway, the guards were beating him bloody. When Much and I tried to break up the fight, they turned on us. We simply defended ourselves. We became outlaws because we were trying to survive. Personally, I think Gisborne just wanted to keep my lands to himself. Since my father died three years ago, he'd been in charge of Locksley. The rightful heir would've messed everything up for him. A price was immediately put on our heads, and we were forced to retreat to Sherwood…the end," he finished.

Wow. I knew Gisborne had taken some noble's land, but I never realized that it was Locksley! Nor did I realize that Robin's father was dead.

"Robin, I'm so sorry about your father," I whispered. His eyes flickered darkness.

"The letter said he died of natural causes. I think he was murdered," he responded darkly. I simply nodded. The sad part was that he was probably right. I honestly believed that Gisborne would've killed an old, frail man for his lands, especially if this man was not doing as he was told, as I heard Master Locksley was doing.

At long last, we emerged from Sherwood. I kept walking, but Robin stopped.

"This is as far as I can take you, love," he was back to his old, cocky self, "You going to be alright?"

"Of course!" I curtseyed. I turned to walk back into Nottingham.

"Marian!" he called after me. I stopped and faced him. He smirked again.

"Come back again soon."

"Don't count on it!" I called back as I continued walking. I heard him chuckle before disappearing back into Sherwood.

Not five minutes into Nottingham, I heard the galloping of horses. I turned around to the noise. Wouldn't you know it was Gisborne.

"Marian!" he shouted to me. I stayed where I was.

"Are you alright?" he asked as he galloped up to me.

"Yes, of course," I nodded.

"Did they hurt you?" he dismounted and looked at me warily.

Did who hurt me? Oh yes, the outlaws. They kidnapped me…right.

"No, I'm fine," I responded.

"Good, I was so worried! We were just heading out to find you!"

My hero…

"Well, I'm fine now," I continued my walk to the castle.

"Wait, Marian, I will take you," he called to me. Great, how kind of him.

There was not much I could do as he heaved me onto his horse. We rode away to the castle. Once we got there, I dismounted, but he remained on his horse. I looked at him questioningly.

"I'm going to search for Robin Hood. You will never have to see his horrid face again, Marian!" he threatened. His eyes shone with hatred. His intentions were good, but I knew two things for sure. One: There was no way he was going to find Robin Hood, and Two: I knew in my heart that I would most definitely see him again.

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><p><strong>When will Marian see Robin? Will she see him again? R&amp;R!<strong>


	7. Chapter 7

**Since I'm going on vacation this week, I figured I would give you all a little bit to dwell on. Hope it's enough!**

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><p><strong>Chapter 7<strong>

I tried to sneak quietly through the castle to my room. However my efforts were in vain since I was discovered by Charlotte moments later.

"Come, we _have_ to talk," she pulled me away to the garden. She wove through the maze of trees, bushes, and flowers until we were finally so entangled in the garden that even I didn't know where we were. Which begged the question: How was Charlotte going to get us back out?

We sat on a couple of large rocks.

"Marian…I am _so _sorry!" she began.

"What for?" I asked a bit confused.

"For leaving you! I didn't mean to! My horse, it just took off, and I was so scared, and," she was babbling. I smiled and placed my hand on her knee.

"It's not your fault. And I'm fine!" I reassured her. She gave me a small smile.

"So, did anything…happen?" she asked after a moment.

I thought about it. Did anything happen? Yes, lots happened. I got to see Much after years of missing him. I met a band of outlaws. I'd somewhat reconciled with Robin Hood. But there was no way I could tell her that. So I simply said,

"They just questioned me is all."

"About what?"

"The Sheriff's plans and whatnot. Nothing of importance."

"Did you tell them anything?" she asked me warily. I chuckled.

"Of course not! The moment they left me alone, I escaped and ran as fast as I could to Nottingham!" I was enjoying making up such an elaborate story.

"Marian, you are so…brave," she breathed. I rolled my eyes, a very unladylike gesture, but I believe the situation called for it.

"Marian!" she shrieked suddenly. I jumped up, thinking something bad was about to happen. She merely laughed.

"Guess who came by to see me today!" Oh, that was all. I let out a nervous laugh and sat back down.

"Who?" I asked, even though it didn't matter if I'd asked or not. Either way, she was going to tell me.

"The Duke of York!" she squealed. I laughed and hugged her. That was great! Personally, I wasn't fond of him. I found him arrogant as well as ignorant. But he was charming, nice looking, and wealthy; a truly worthy suitor for my dear friend, Lady Charlotte.

"Charlie, that's great!" I cheered with her.

"Yes, he asked me to come visit him this summer! Isn't it just amazing! Imagine, Marian, I could be the future Duchess of York!" she sighed with a faraway look in her eye. I giggled.

"A worthy title for you, my dear," I curtseyed. She laughed and pushed me over. We continued our fit of giggles. Eventually, the laughter ceased and her blue eyes turned on me.

"I see that's the second time our dear Guy of Gisborne has saved you from the outlaws," she smiled slyly. I rolled my eyes again.

"What?" she asked innocently, "I'm just saying that it would be nice for the both of us to settle down! We could even have a double wedding!"

Somehow a double wedding was not something I had in plan for the near future, or even the future at all for that matter. What did I need a man for? All men do are make promises they can't keep and leave you the moment something better comes up. They are not reliable. No, I was perfectly fine relying on myself.

"Marian," Charlotte's face was somber now, "I meant what I said when we were riding. You can't wait around forever for whoever it is. Eventually, you'll have to accept that and settle down. Why not just do it now when you have someone that cares an awful lot about you?"

She was talking about Guy, I knew. He did care about me. He was stable. He was wealthy. He would take care of me. But I didn't want to be taken care of, not yet anyway, and not by him. I didn't care about money. I didn't care about Guy in that way.

However, like I did before, I just nodded in agreement. There was no sense in fighting with her when I couldn't honestly back up my reasons. I didn't even really know them myself.

Somewhere in the distance, a church bell rang. The bell kept dinging until it showed that it was already five o'clock. I must've stayed in the forest longer than I'd thought. I bid Charlotte good-bye saying that I had to get ready for dinner at six. She followed me out, and we went to our separate rooms.

One hour later, I was dressed in a long midnight blue gown with elbow length sleeves. My hair was pulled into a side braid. I walked into the dining hall and took my place next to Charlotte. One by one, people began to fill in: visiting nobles, servants, guards. Finally, the Sheriff and Guy walked in. Once they sat, the meal was served.

I sat quietly eating while the men discussed politics and what not. That was fine with me. I preferred to speak as little with the Sheriff and his guests as possible. It left me less of a chance to say something I'd end up regretting.

Which is why when the Sheriff turned to address me, I was a bit surprised.

"Marian, I here you've been having some problems with the outlaws."

I glanced up from my meal.

"Oh no, they just have a bit of trouble remembering their place is all," I smiled. Surely he would appreciate my talking down of them. Sure enough, he smirked.

"Well, fear not, my dear, we have something planned. They won't be a bother to you much longer," he assured. Something planned? That did not sound good.

"With all due respect, what do you have planned?" I asked cautiously.

"You will see in due time," he answered.

"I do not like surprises, Sheriff," I shot back a little too quickly. Charlotte whispered for me to be quiet, but I kept staring at him. He stared right back. After what felt like centuries, he let out a chuckle.

"We have captured one of his men. We plan on hanging in tomorrow," he explained. I sucked in a breath. Charlotte did the same. Neither of us was fond of hangings. I always thought it quite unnecessary, the way the Sheriff seemed to overuse the threat. People didn't need to die for things like stealing a loaf of bread.

"Brilliant plan, Sheriff," I managed to reply before going back to my dinner. Somehow, it seemed a little less appetizing.

After I'd finished, I excused myself and went to my room. I sat at my windowsill, thinking. I had to do something. I'd only just met Robin's men. I couldn't watch one of them die.

As I sat there and watched the sun sink lower and lower into the sky, I realized I could not just sit here, but what could I do? I couldn't very well search for Robin. I had no idea where he was and by the time I found him, it might be too late. The moon rose, and I knew what I had to do. I didn't like it, but it had to be done.

At around midnight, when I was sure everyone was asleep, I lit a candle. I slipped out of my room and made my way down the hall. It was dark, and the various statues and suits of armor that flanked these corridors cast eerie shadows on the wall. I had half a mind of turning back, but I didn't. I could be this man's only hope.

After what seemed like an eternity of walking, I descended the steps into the jail. As I rounded the corner, I saw the cell I was looking for…guarded. I should've thought of that! Suddenly, something caught my eye. It was a jug of some liquid. I lifted it and smelled it; rum, perfect! It must have been left there from an earlier post. I grabbed the jug and walked over to the guards.

However, as I approached, I heard the soft snores of the sleeping men. They'd fallen asleep at their post! So there was no reason for the rum, but I kept it with me anyway, just in case they woke up.

As they snoozed I searched their belts. When I found the key, I slipped it off its hook. The guard shifted a bit. Thankfully, his breathing never changed as he continued to sleep.

With keys in hand, I approached the door. There was a figure crouched in the corner. I knocked quietly. I didn't know what to call out, and I didn't want to wake the guards. The figure moved a bit.

"Hello," I called very softly. Finally, he opened his eyes. They looked at me curiously. I gestured for him to come. He moved cautiously towards me. Ugh, if we kept this up, I was going to get caught!

At last, his face emerged from the shadows. It was Will Scarlet. How did he get caught? It didn't matter. I hadn't the time for meaningless questions right now. Right now, I had to get Will out of there.

"Will, it's me."

"Marian?" he asked, "What are you doing here?"

"Here," I tossed him the keys, turned on my heel, and walked away. He didn't say anything. He didn't need to. Everything he needed to escape, he now held; it was up to him to use it.

I passed the guards on my way out. They were still sound asleep. As I crept out of the prison, I heard the faint clicking of a key in a lock.

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><p><strong>What will happen with Will? Will anyone find out? What kind of consequences may Marian have to face? R&amp;R!<strong>


	8. Chapter 8

**I'm back! Thanks to all of my avid readers and reviewers! You keep this story alive! I hope you all enjoy!**

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><p><strong>Chapter 8<strong>

Surprisingly, I made it back to my room with no problems. I thought for sure I'd get caught coming back since I didn't get caught going. But I opened the door to my room, slipped back inside, and got back into my bed.

As I lay in my bed, my mind began to wonder. Had I done the right thing? What if someone saw me and I didn't notice? Then I asked myself another question that put my mind at ease. Did it really matter? No, it didn't. I honestly believe I did the right thing. Will seemed like a quiet boy. While he was an outlaw, he probably hadn't done anything horribly wrong. People were hanged for all sorts of silly, minute things these days.

Plus, Will was just part of a plan. I couldn't let him get hurt because of someone else. I wouldn't.

As for if someone saw me I realized that it didn't matter. For one thing, I'd have been arrested on the spot if I was seen. For another, I knew freeing Will was the right thing to do. With this thought in my head, I fell peacefully asleep for the first time in a while.

The next morning, I woke up to much shouting. There were bells and alarms going off. I could hear the clanking of the guards' swords and the thumping of their boots as they ran. Though they were about ten feet below my window, I still could hear them clearly. I stretched, pulled on my robe, and approached the window. I looked down and couldn't help but smile.

The Sheriff was having a fit! Still in his nightclothes, he was stomping about the public square, barking orders and hitting whoever was closest to him at the time. Guy was following him around, repeating his orders like some kind of parrot. I giggled.

"There were guards posted outside his _door_!" the Sheriff yelled, "Now someone needs to tell me: HOW DID HE ESCAPE?"

As I was watching the whole charade, a knock came at my door. I tore my eyes away from the scene long enough to yell, "Come in!"

Charlotte walked up beside me.

"Charlie, have you seen this?"

She nodded.

"Yes, didn't you hear? The outlaw escaped!" she looked around.

"Did I hear it?" I asked sarcastically just as the Sheriff was yelling something about the escaped outlaw. Charlotte glared at me.

"I'm serious! How can we expect to be safe in our own castle if we can't even keep a measly, no-good outlaw inside?"

I had to fight the urge to stick up for Will. When did she inherit the right to judge people before knowing them? However, I kept my mouth shut. I turned back to the scene playing out before us. The Sheriff was so mad that he looked red, even from here. I stifled a laugh.

At that moment, I caught something out of the corner of my eye. I was sure I saw a shadow jumping into one of the towers. Then again, I had been up late. It was probably just a trick of the light.

Charlotte walked away from the window. I followed as she sat down on my bed. She was kneading her hands together, a tell I'd learn to suggest that something was upsetting her.

"Charlie, what's wrong?" I cautiously asked.

"I'm just worried. I don't like the fact that it seems that outlaws can come and go as they please! It's almost as if someone is helping them on the inside," she explained. Well, she wasn't that far off, however, I never helped them come, I only helped one go.

"Perhaps it was just luck on his part," I suggested. I hated seeing my friend so nervous. I took her hand and gave it a squeeze. She smiled appreciatively at me.

"Now, why don't you give me a moment to change and we'll go pick fruit in the garden. Fresh air ought to suit us nicely," I smiled as I ushered her to the door. She nodded.

Once she was out, I shut the door. I stood there for a few moments, trying to make sense of everything. I turned to pick out a dress. The moment I did, I gasped in surprise. I clutched my heart.

"Robin!" I exclaimed. He chuckled as he leaned lazily against my window.

"You really need to stop sneaking up on me like that!" I scolded him. He continued to laugh. I glared at him.

"My apologies," he smiled smugly. I continued to glare.

"Look, I just wanted to say thank you," he explained. I gave him a funny look.

"For saving Will," he finished. He gazed at me. Though he was still smirking, his eyes shone with something else. Could it be…gratitude?

"Well, you're welcome," I nodded, "Now would you _please_ get out. In case you didn't hear, my friend is expecting me."

He didn't move.

"Robin, you _need_ to go!" I stressed. He still didn't move.

"Will is very grateful, too."

"Okay, Robin, tell him it was my pleasure, now will you go!"

"Marian," he began. I waited. Finally, he sighed and shook his head.

"I'll see you, Marian," and with that, he jumped out the window. I fought the urge to run after him to see what he would do, how he would get out of the square. After all, it was crawling with guards. Instead, I went to my chest to pick out a dress. I pulled out a simple lavender gown. The short sleeves were loose and the dress billowed. It was quite comfortable. I braided a section of my hair and pulled it back to keep my bangs back.

Once I was ready, I pulled on a light cloak and headed outside. I found Charlotte sitting on a bench beneath an apple tree. As I walked up, I picked one. I tossed it to her. She smiled. We sat there for a long time, just talking. It seemed to be good for her. We laughed. Conversation, I believe, kept her mind off the outlaws.

Before I knew it, the sun was beginning its descent over the horizon. We'd been out there all day! I could still faintly hear the Sheriff and guards running about in the square. I smiled to myself.

"What?" Charlotte asked. I glanced at her.

"Oh, nothing," I replied, "Come on, it's almost time for dinner." She nodded, linked arms with me, and the two of us went back inside the castle.

As we walked through the halls, we continued to talk. All of a sudden, Guy appeared in front of us.

"Hello, Sir Guy," Charlotte curtseyed and tried to drag me around him. He stepped in front of us.

"Um, Guy, if you keep this up we'll be late for dinner. The Sheriff is already having a bad day, would you care to make it worse?" Charlotte let go of me and put her hand on her hip.

"I'm sorry milady, but we will not be having dinner in the dining hall tonight. It's too dangerous. If you would please go back to your rooms, a servant will bring you your supper," he explained while ushering us back the other way.

"Wait, what's going on?" Charlotte demanded to know. I, however, continued to keep my mouth shut. It was fine with me if we weren't going to eat with the Sheriff. Good riddance!

"Nothing, just extra precautions," Guy answered a little too quickly. I gave him a funny look, but remained quiet.

Once Charlotte was safely in her room, Guy walked me to mine. Before I went in, I broke the silence.

"So…what is going on, Guy?" I asked.

"I told you Marian, just extra precautions," he explained without looking at me.

"Guy…" I pressed. I knew he wasn't telling me the truth…or the whole truth at least. He raised his eyes to mine and sighed.

"We think someone on the inside might have helped the outlaw escape," he whispered to me. I couldn't help but notice that he sort of spat the word 'outlaw' as if it were dirt.

"Well, who do you think it may be?" I asked after a bit. He shrugged.

"We have our suspicions, but no one really knows for sure. Don't worry Marian, we'll find whoever did this," he took my hand and gave it a squeeze. I smiled awkwardly and disappeared into my room.

I sat on my bed and thought. After a while, my servant, Sarah, came in carrying a simple meal. She placed it on my nightstand and sat on my bed next to me. Though this gesture would call for consequence anywhere else, Sarah was my friend. She would always listen to me and was the only person I would ever care to see when I first got here, besides Charlotte.

"What is it, Marian?" she asked, placing her hand over mine. I let out a long sigh.

"Can you keep a secret?" I asked, even though I knew I didn't have to. I knew I could trust Sarah. She helped me get out of the castle on my own sometimes, but I asked her anyway.

She gave me an incredulous look. I smiled shyly.

"You know I can," she answered matter-of-factly.

"Well, do you know how they all think someone helped the outlaw escape?" I asked.

"Yes," she exaggerated.

"Well, they're right," I paused, "I helped him."

My eyes fell to the floor as I waited to hear what she would say. Would she condemn me or congratulate me? Would she turn me in? I thought that very unlikely, but my hands still shook with anxiety.

My fears, however, were put to rest as she pulled me into a hug.

"Good," she whispered. I hugged her back and buried my face in her shoulder. It felt good to finally let that out, to finally tell someone about what I'd done.

"So, do you think I did the right thing?"

"Well, if you didn't do it I would've found a way to do it myself," she smiled as we pulled away from each other.

"Oh, Sarah, what if they find out about what I've done!" I began to panic. _I_ knew I'd done the right thing, _Sarah_ knew I did the right thing, but there were _quite_ a few people who thought I'd done the wrong thing.

"I'll be hanged for sure!" I jumped up and began pacing as I continued my rambling.

"They'll find out and take me away and I'll be hanged and I'll die. Oh Sarah, I don't want to die!"

"Marian!" she shouted. I faced her. When she shouted, it was time for me to listen.

"Marian, it's going to be fine. _Nothing_ is going to happen to you! Guy would not let anything happen to you!"

I didn't like the fact that the son of my mother's murderer would protect me, but she was right. After all, I couldn't condemn Guy for something he hadn't had any part in. And he would do anything to keep me safe.

As I calmed down, Sarah led me back to the bed. I sat.

"Now, eat! I have some business to attend to," she ordered.

"Oh, business? What sort of business?" I asked playfully. She sent me a look and walked out. I ate, changed into my night clothes, and went to sleep.

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><p><strong>What will happen to the guards? How will Marian handle the guilt? R&amp;R!<strong>


	9. Chapter 9

**Sorry it took so long to update! Busy! Hope you all enjoy!**

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><p><strong>Chapter 9<strong>

The next few days passed in a blur. Charlotte and I remained in the castle, under Guy's orders. I did NOT appreciate this but there was not much I could do. The search for the missing outlaw continued. I remained undiscovered.

Finally, after about four or five days of searching, Guy came to my door around dinnertime. I was getting ready for Sarah to bring me my meal since we hadn't been gathering in the Dining Hall.

"Marian," he nodded to me once I opened the door. I gave a slight curtsey in return.

"The Sheriff would like for you to join us in the Dining Hall for dinner," he continued. I gave him a funny look. He simply shrugged and walked off. I returned to my room and picked out a simple burnt orange gown. The sheriff always insisted the ladies to look nice for dinner. In my opinion, he was out for something else, but it wasn't my place to judge.

A few minutes later, I was dressed in something …presentable. I made my way to the Hall. Charlotte was already there when I walked in. I took my place beside her and waited for the Sheriff.

Charlotte and I made light conversation until the he arrived. He had a funny look on his face. He was grinning ear to ear. However it wasn't a happy or goofy grin, it looked like he knew something no one else did.

He sat down very abruptly. Everyone stopped talking. He obviously had something to say.

"Ladies and gentlemen," he began very dramatically, "Make sure you go to sleep early tonight. There will be a hanging tomorrow morning!"

And just before anyone could get anything out, dinner was served. I wanted to say something, but it was not my place as I'd learned earlier. No, it was best for me to remain as invisible as possible.

After we ate, people began to excuse themselves. I conveniently wait for Guy to excuse himself. Once he did, I followed.

"Guy!" I called to him. He stopped and turned as I ran to catch up with him. We walked together.

"Did you catch the outlaw?" I asked.

He shook his head. This made me a bit confused. If not the outlaw, who would hang in the morning?

As if reading my expression, he gave me my answer.

"The Sheriff plans on hanging the two guards that were on duty," he said.

"Why?" I asked. I know they were both sleeping, but that didn't exactly call for a hanging.

"They fell asleep at their post. They failed us," he explained.

"Yes, but I hardly believe that calls for a hanging," I shot back.

"Someone must be punished for this, Marian," his voice began to rise.

"Yes, but should the punishment really be death? All of the guards fall asleep at their posts that late at night! Is it really fair that these two happen to have fallen asleep on the night someone escaped?" my voice rose right with his.

"We must make an example of them. Our guards should be top-notch, not some that allow a measly outlaw to escape," he began to calm down a bit.

After a moment of silence, I realized something.

"The Sheriff just needs someone to blame. He just needs someone to die because he's angry," I whispered, "Isn't that right?"

Guy glanced at me and sighed. We both stopped walking. We'd arrived at my room.

"Just, get some sleep, Marian. I'll see you in the morning," he bid me good night, and I slipped into my room.

How could things get so out of hand? This boy was innocent; these guards were innocent, well not completely, but still! This was all my doing!

"Ugh! What now?" I asked to no one in particular. I then began to mumble to myself as I often did. I tried to sort out everything and every possible solution to this problem I created. About halfway through my rant, I noticed something. I whirled around to face my window, and who but Robin Hood was leaning casually against the frame, just as he had before.

I didn't ask him the most obvious question of 'What are you doing here?' I wouldn't have gotten an answer anyway.

"How long have you been there?"

He let out a little chuckle.

"Long enough," he smirked.

I glared at him and then went back to pacing. I had no time for him and his silly games. I stopped myself from speaking out loud. Instead, I continued sorting things out in my head.

Okay, I could sneak in and help them escape as I did with Will! But the guards would be more alert this time. I could cause some havoc while the hanging was supposed to go on, allowing them to escape, but I was supposed to stand on the balcony with Guy and the Sheriff. They'd know if I was missing. Ugh! What to do?

"What's troubling you, Marian?" Robin asked very nonchalantly. I shot him a look.

"Nothing of your concern," I continued pacing. I walked away from the window. I turned back and was abruptly stopped by Robin standing in my way. I let out a gasp. He'd startled me.

"Marian," he bent down so that we were at eye level. His green eyes held my hazel. As much as I wanted to, I couldn't look away.

"What's troubling you?" he asked me again. I let out a frustrated sigh.

"Nothing!" I tried to go around him, but he stepped in the way. I tried again, but he again stepped in my path. We continued this dance until I finally gave up.

"It's the Sheriff! And it's Guy, and England! What are we coming to that a man gets hanged for the smallest mistake?" I nearly shouted. I stomped around him to the window. I looked out at England, my England, but it wasn't mine anymore. This England was falling apart. People were dying. No one was helping them. What were we coming to?

As I thought of all the lives lost, all of England lost, a silent tear slipped down my cheek, followed by another. I quickly wiped them away with my sleeve, but they just kept coming. I hated crying. It made me feel helpless, and I couldn't afford to feel helpless. But I especially hated crying in front of Robin. I couldn't say why. I guess I just feel like I need to be strong around him or something. I don't know.

"Marian," Robin said gently. His tone hit something. He grabbed my hand softly. My chest began to ache. This was something I hadn't felt in a very long time.

My first reaction was to pull away. I felt a little bad the moment I did, but I hated how he did that to me! How he just showed up and made me feel this way! It didn't seem fair that my emotions turned on me when he was around.

However, Robin was not to be discouraged so easily. He grabbed my shoulder and turned me to face him.

"Tell me, Marian, what is it?" I couldn't escape his penetrating eyes. I sighed, and told him everything. I told him about my helping Will and how I felt. I told him about the men that were to be hanged the next day. I told him how it was my fault.

"Marian, this isn't your fault," he said once I was done.

"Yes it is! I helped Will, it's my fault these men are to be killed!" Robin had to shush me as my voice rose. I could feel tears wanting to return.

Robin's eyes fell to the floor. That was when I knew that it was my fault. This blood that was to be spilled would be on my hands. I was the cause of their deaths.

The weight of this hit me all at once. I sank onto my bed. Tears began to fall again. Robin looked back up at me. As he approached me, I saw the beginnings of a smile pull at the edges of his mouth.

"Marian," he kneeled in front of me. My heart skipped a little.

"Do you trust me?" he asked.

I gave him a look. I was about to answer…when I really thought about it. Did I trust Robin? Could I trust him?

"Yes," I answered after a moment, and that was honest. A smile broke out on his face.

"Good, then trust me that I will take care of this," he began to walk back to the window.

"Wait, what are you going to do?" I asked.

"You'll just have to wait and see," he teased before leaping out into the darkness. I ran to the window, but he was already gone. I hoped he would pull through for me. I needed him to pull through for me.

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><p><strong>What does our favorite outlaw have planned? R&amp;R!<strong>


	10. Chapter 10

**Here's chapter 10! It's a little short, so I'll update soon!**

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><p><strong>Chapter 10<strong>

The next morning, I arose early. I had barely any sleep that night. I was tossing and turning. Nightmares haunted me.

I dressed slowly as the sun rose. I pulled on a simple black gown, appropriate for mourning. I left my room and went down to the dining hall.

It was still early. The castle hadn't quite woken up. Servants moved about. Sarah caught my eye and made her way to me.

"You're up early, milady," she observed. Unfortunately, she insisted to address me as any servant should a noble when we weren't alone. I'd, reluctantly, agreed.

"I had trouble sleeping," I explained. She nodded in understanding.

"Come," she whispered, "Let's get some food into your stomach."

I sat down as she disappeared into the kitchen. Since there was no one to talk to, my mind began to wander aimlessly. I refused to let it wander too far, though.

Sarah quickly returned with some eggs and ham. I barely ate. I merely played with the food on my plate. Anything I'd put down would come right back up. I knew that and Sarah knew that. She didn't force me.

After a while, I heard someone enter the hall. I didn't turn to look. I kept playing with my food. Charlotte would truly be ashamed of my behavior.

"Marian," it was Guy. I looked up at him.

"I would just like to let you know that the Sheriff and I understand if you do not wish to attend the hanging today. It is no place for a lady."

For some reason, his comment infuriated me. How dare he decide where I do and do not belong? Miraculously, I managed to contain my anger as I rose.

"No, I'll be fine, thank you," I said as I brushed past him and made my way to the square.

People had already begun to gather, mostly lords and commoners who happened to be passing by. It sickened me how people could watch someone die then immediately go back to their lives. Perhaps it was because hangings took place so frequently that people were used to them. They'd become a part of life for England…or Nottingham at least.

Charlotte hadn't arrived yet. I took my usual position two places down from the Sheriff's chair. Charlotte sat right next to him, and I stood beside her.

I will be completely honest, as I scanned the faces of the crowd there was only one face I was really looking for…Robin's. Of course I'd thought that if he was smart he'd disguise himself, but I still thought I could pick him from a crowd.

"Morning!"Charlotte exclaimed cheerfully as she took her seat. Her sudden appearance startled me. I felt like I had something to hide.

"Well, you are in a good mood this morning," I recovered before she noticed.

"Oh, I'm just so relieved that we are getting rid of the traitors! It makes me feel so much safer!"

I gave her a confused look. I was about to explain to her that they weren't traitors, that they were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time, but trumpets began to sound. The Sheriff entered.

He took his seat at the head of the square, clearly establishing his position of power. Guards were posted all around him, the gate, and the archway from where the prisoners would come out.

"Good people of Nottingham," he began. Here we go again.

"As you may have heard, we have discovered some…traitors in the castle," he smiled evilly, as if on cue the 'traitorous' guards were brought out. Secretly, I think the Sheriff enjoyed the theatrics and drama of a hanging and did everything in his power to make it a real show.

Everyone remained eerily silent. From whispers I'd heard, everyone was probably thankful to the guards for 'saving' one of Robin Hood's men. From what I heard, they really loved Robin and his band of "Merry Men." So instead of booing or cursing or throwing things like they sometimes did, the crowd in the square remained silent.

"And a traitor in my castle, to me," he continued as the noose was situated around their necks, "Is a traitor to the crown."

At that moment, time seemed to slow. I could sense it. I wasn't just seeing the hanging; I was feeling everything about it: the rapid heartbeat of the victims, wondering which would be their last; the shallow breath of the crowd as they waited for the drums to stop; every deep beat sounded from every drum in the square. Then, I sensed something else. I flinched just as what I was sensing whizzed pass me…and hit just above the Sheriff's head. It was an arrow.

But surely he couldn't be that good?

"The only traitor to the crown, Lord Sheriff, is you!" a voice came from nowhere and everywhere as two more arrows were shot, each hitting right above the Sheriff's shoulder. Most would say Robin was a bad shooter for missing the Sheriff three times. Being an archer myself, it's usually harder to hit around something than to actually hit the thing. Robin had gotten _very_ good.

He popped up on one of the guard towers. I notice a ruckus on the other two, but Robin had everyone's undivided attention.

"Hood!" the Sheriff shrieked.

"The one and only," Robin gave a bow. The smirk in his voice made me want to roll my eyes. He would get himself killed one of these days.

"GET HIM!" the Sheriff cried. The guards were caught off-guard, so while some sprang into action, others ran around meaninglessly causing collisions and whatnot.

If it wasn't for a sudden pressure on my arm, I would've started laughing. I turned to see Charlotte out of her chair gripping my arm. Her eyes were filled with fear as the band of outlaws began to pile into the square.

I noticed Little John first. He'd plowed through five guards to get to the platform. On the platform, however, I noticed Will moving silently throughout the chaos, freeing the two prisoners. Much grabbed them, and managed to sneak them out undetected.

I chuckled to myself. They'd actually pulled it off! Chaos continued to erupt due to the hunt of Robin Hood. However, somehow, he and his men managed to escape without the Sheriff, the guards, or me for that matter, knowing. All we were left with was a couple of bloody steps and a mess to clean up. I smiled. Well done Robin Hood.

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><p><strong>The guards are saved! But is Marian completely off the hook? R&amp;R!<strong>


	11. Chapter 11

**Been busy, sorry for the long wait! Here's 11!**

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><p><strong>Chapter 11<strong>

"Would someone please explain to me how Robin Hood managed to escape heavily guarded square in broad daylight with _everyone_ watching?" the Sheriff's tone rose as his rant went on. I smirked to myself. I'd have to remember to tell Robin about this.

When the Sheriff's yelling began to mix with some colorful words that are not meant for lady's ears, I decided that it was time to leave. I slowly edged toward the entrance into the castle. I felt a presence beside me. I looked to my left and saw Charlotte looking around very conspicuously. I giggled as we edged out of the square.

The two of us made our way down the halls. I stopped in my room and so did she. I glanced behind me as she followed me into my room. However, I didn't protest.

She came in and sat on my bed. She buried her face in her hands and began to cry.

"Charlie, what's the matter?" I asked kneeling in front of her.

"I'm scared Marian! How are you so calm! What's next? I wish someone would just kill Robin Hood!" she cried. I sat back on my heels, taken aback. How dare she say that about Robin? Sure I wanted to kill him sometimes, but that was different. I had reasons! I knew him! And I didn't actually _want _him to die…Just as I was foolishly about to stick-up for the outlaws, she whispered something.

"I'm scared for you Marian," she sighed, eyes downcast. This took me by surprise.

"Why…why are you scared for me?" I asked honestly.

"Because this is the third time you've been around the outlaws," now she was looking at me, "They've kidnapped you twice, Marian! What's saying they're not going to come after you again?"

I smiled at her. It really touched me that she was worried. It truly did.

"I just don't want to lose you," she murmured.

"Charlie, I'm not going anywhere!" I assured her.

"How do you know?" she demanded. I heaved a sigh. I couldn't very well tell her why I knew I had nothing to fear with the outlaws. Instead, I knew I had to show her. As I weighed the pros and cons in my head, I realized that Charlie really was my friend. I could trust her.

So, I stood and took a large, pointed pin that was holding my hair up. Smiling and not leaving her gaze, I flung the pin at my mirror, hitting the wood of the crest just above it. Charlie stared at me, dumbfounded.

"See," I smiled, "You have nothing to worry about! I can take care of myself."

"How…how did you do that?" she asked, gaping at the pin.

"I wasn't raised in a castle, Charlie," I explained, walking over to the mirror to grab my pin.

"What does that have anything to do with it?"

"Well, I was taught to be able to defend myself."

She nodded. I could tell she wasn't happy with this answer, but it would have to do. I didn't know what else to say.

As the guards continued to bustle around and the sheriff continued to yell, Charlie and I remained in my room. Our meals were brought to us as we talked and practiced our sewing. I'd always been good at sewing. My mom had taught me.

Finally, the sun began to sink. Charlie decided it was time for her to retire to her room. It had been a "trying" day. I couldn't agree more and bid her good night. The moment she left, I couldn't help but go to the window. Would he be here tonight?

"Robin?" I called softly into the darkness. Instantly feeling silly, I retreated back into my room. Of course, the moment I turned around I was greeted by a familiar face.

"You rang?" Robin asked smugly. I could feel my cheeks heating up, so I looked down and walked around him.

"Yes, I just wanted to thank you for what you did today," I thanked. He smiled that crooked smile that I loved so much.

"It was our pleasure."

"So where are they now?" I asked. Just as he was answering, a knock came at my door. I sudden sound made me jump; I hadn't realized I'd been whispering. Robin's head snapped to the door.

"Marian, are you in there?" I recognized Guy's voice. I stole a glance at Robin. He was trying to place the voice. Before he could, I began ushering him out.

"Robin, you have to go! If I don't answer he'll know something's wrong!" I exclaimed quietly.

"Are you saying something's wrong with me?" he asked smartly. Rolling my eyes, I pushed him to the window.

"Go!" I ordered. He continued to stare at the door, trying to place the voice. I glanced at the door. Robin needed to leave now! I turned back to tell him to leave, but he was already gone. Looking around, I approached the door and opened it. Robin was good.

"Lady Marian," Guy bowed. I curtseyed, but to be honest, my focus was not on Guy.

"I wanted to make sure you were well. That was quite a bit of adventure you and Lady Charlotte got a taste of. How are you faring?"

"Very well, thank you, Sir Guy," I half-smiled. I wished he would go away.

"You know I wish you to only address me as Guy," he fussed.

"Of course…Guy," I corrected, getting ready to return to the comfort of my room.

"Lady Marian…" he began again. I waited patiently as any lady would.

"Lady Charlotte has informed me of her worries about your safety. I would like to make it my personal mission to keep you safe."

"Oh, that's really not necessary," I quickly explained.

"Yes it is. Who knows what the bloody outlaws will do next? And maybe…hopefully…we can become better acquainted through this time together," he grabbed my hand and kissed it. It took everything in my power not to yank my hand away, slam the door in his face, and retreat into my room for the rest of my days. But, like a lady, I simply stood there and smiled.

"Very well," I forced out. He smiled, bid me good night, and went off. I closed my door and turned to my sanctuary. All of a sudden, something dropped from the ceiling. I had to cover my mouth to keep from shrieking.

"Robin! I told you to leave!" I scolded. But he wasn't listening to me. No, he was still staring at the door.

"Robin…Robin?" I snapped him out of his reverie.

"Was that Gisborne?" was the first thing he asked.

"That was Guy, yes," I sighed. He looked a bit confused.

"Master Gisborne died a few years back," I explained further.

"He looks just like his father," Robin murmured. I saw something in his eyes: vengeance, anger, and hurt.

"Robin," I touched his arm in hopes of calming him down. He glanced down at me.

"He fancies you." It wasn't a question. Before I got a chance to defend my case or explain myself, he sauntered over to the windowsill and effortlessly jumped out.

"You know you're the second person that's told me that?" I called after him. I couldn't see him, but I could almost hear a bittersweet chuckle in the distance.

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><p><strong>So Robin has figured out about Guy. What will he do? What will Marian do? R&amp;R!<strong>


	12. Chapter 12

**Hey guys! Unfortunately, I'm getting to that point in my word document where I'm running out of chapters and inspiration, so updates may come a little slower. I am, however, determined to finish this story and very much appreciate the messages reminding me to update. Anyway, enjoy!**

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><p><strong>Chapter 12<strong>

The next morning I woke early. A sickening feeling in my stomach told me Guy would be here as soon as he thought appropriate, so I needed to cherish these precious moments of solitude. I dressed in a pale rose gown. The sleeves came down to my elbows. I slipped on a pair of slippers to match and sneaked out of my room.

The castle was peacefully quiet. It felt like everyone was beginning to wake up, but not quite yet. I only passed a few servants, and they were too groggy to notice a girl wandering the castle at this hour. I made my way out to the garden, my favorite place, and walked until I was lost in it. Finding myself at an oak tree, I settled down and listened to the sounds of the nature waking. I don't know how long I sat there; all I know is footsteps snapped me back to reality. I opened my eyes to my 'knight in shining armor'…Guy of Gisborne.

"I thought I might find you here," he smiled.

"And where might that be?" I asked carelessly. He joined me on the ground.

"In the garden," he gestured to everything. We were quiet for a bit.

"It's a good place to think, isn't it?" he broke the silence. I nodded.

"However, Marian, you shouldn't be out here all alone…" he continued. And the connection we were making was gone. I sighed.

"Fine," I gave in. He got up. Holding his hand out to me, I took it, and he pulled me up. At that moment, I thought I heard rustling. Distracted by the sudden noise, I didn't realize Guy hadn't let go of my hand. Surprised, I removed it from his grasp.

"Just give me one more moment alone…please?" I batted my eyelashes. Sighing, he nodded.

"One moment…I'll be in the castle waiting for you," he agreed, walking away. I watched until he looked to be gone. Then I glanced around the area. I KNOW I heard something. Someone was here…but where? Finally, it came to me. No one ever looks up.

In an attempt to be sneaky, I walked around the tree to make it look like I was looking for something. When I glanced up, I saw it, a pair of boots. I reached up and yanked at them, causing a man to fall out of the tree and hit the ground with a _thud_.

He seemed surprised. Once his gaze found mine, I let out a chuckle. It wasn't Robin.

"Hello Will," I greeted, "What are you doing here?"

He stood up and brushed himself off.

"I came to thank you," he said softly, "For saving my life."

"It was nothing, Will," I smiled.

"No it wasn't. That was very brave. A lot of people wouldn't take that chance," his dark gaze had now found mine. His sincerity surprised me.

"Well, you're welcome," I replied. He gave me a small smile. We both stood there in silence until I heard my name called.

"Marian!" It was Charlotte, and she sounded close. Will's eyes were wild. I turned and Charlotte was walking into the clearing where we were.

"Marian, I—" she stopped. My heart was thumping in my ears. I didn't know if Will was still there or not. Oh I prayed he wasn't! Charlotte would have a FIT!

"Was someone here?" she asked. Letting out a breath, I shook my head.

"No, who would be here? I mean Guy was here a moment ago, but that's it," I smiled innocently. She narrowed her eyes at me and then shrugged.

"Guy and his men gave us permission to go shopping in the market. Isn't that great?" she informed me. I had to keep myself from rolling my eyes.

"Fantastic," I replied as she grabbed my hand and dragged me out of the castle.

About an hour later, Charlotte and I were in the village market…accompanied by a small battalion. I tried to tell Charlotte that this was _completely_ unnecessary, but she refused to listen. She insisted that the guards were just a precaution and no one would notice. Believe me, people noticed.

As we walked I could feel people staring at us. Frankly, I didn't blame them. We were intruding on their territory, which is why I hated coming to the market.

Charlotte stopped to look at some jewelry. While we were standing there, I felt something land at my feet. Looking closer, I saw it was a gob of spit. I looked around. My eyes fell on a woman in probably her mid-thirties. She was glaring at me. Her brown hair was matted and her face was covered with dirt and grime. Her angry brown eyes were almost the same shade as her hair. I was waiting for her to say something, but Charlotte grabbed me my hand and pulled me away. Thank goodness she or the guards didn't see the transaction. Poor woman probably would've been sent to the noose.

We kept walking through the somewhat busy market. Someone bumped into me. I muttered an apology. The person looked down at me. I gasped as I was met with emerald green eyes. Robin. And just as fast as he was there, he was gone. My gaze lingered where he stood for a moment longer.

"What is it, Marian?" Charlotte asked. I shook my head.

"Nothing."

Just then, I heard a ruckus going on a bit in front of us. Some guards were looking around. They then glanced towards us and took off running. I thought they were going to turn, but they didn't. All of a sudden, something barreled into my legs. Glancing down, I noticed messy brown hair. Deep blue eyes gazed up at me. It was a little boy. I smiled at him and he smiled back when the guards came huffing and puffing to us. The little boy hid behind my skirts. I giggled as the head guard, Haymish, sauntered up to me.

"Milady, that _boy_ is a thief!" he accused pointing at the young boy that was using me as a human shield, "He stole a loaf of bread!"

"A loaf of bread, Haymish?" I asked, eyeing him incredulously. Here was a group of ten HUGE men after a probably five-year-old boy. I bent down to his level.

"Is that true? Did you steal a loaf of bread?" I asked. He looked ashamed.

"We're starving!" he murmured, eyeing the lady who'd spit at me. A group of women were holding her back as she gazed at the young boy. Straightening up again, I looked to Haymish.

"_I_ will pay for whatever he's stolen."

"But, milady, he's still a thief!" Haymish cried.

"It's not stealing if it is paid for," I explained, pulling three shillings out of my pouch, "This ought to cover it." I handed him the changed. Not knowing what to say, he simply took the money and left. I then knelt back down to my little friend.

"What's your name?" I asked.

"Jeffrey," he mumbled.

"Jeffrey…a good strong name," I commented, making him giggle, "Jeffrey, is that your mother over there?"

I was pointing to the brown-haired lady who still continued to gaze at us. He nodded. I smiled.

"Do you think you could do something for me?" I asked, already reaching into my coin pouch. I only had ten shillings left. Grabbing all of it, I asked for his hand. He stretched it out to me.

"Do you think you could give this to her for me?" He gazed at the money.

"Jeffrey?" I asked. He looked back up at me.

"Yes, milady, God bless you!" he turned to go, then surprisingly came back and hugged me. At first I was taken by surprise, but recovered quickly and hugged the small boy back. Then, he ran to his mother and delivered the money. The lady took the contents of her son's hands. Seeing it, she got wide eyed. Looking back at me with tears in her eyes, she mouthed "Thank you."

I nodded and was back on my way.

"Hey, where were you?" Charlotte asked at my sudden reappearance by her side. I would have answered, only we were interrupted by the shouting of men.

"Hood!" one exclaimed.

"Get him!" cried another. Someone pushed through the crowd and brushed past us. As the hood fell down, I recognized Robin. I smiled. Hearing the guards approaching I looked around for something to slow them down. I don't know why that was my automatic response, but I didn't fight the reflex. My eyes fell on a cart with spoiled watermelon. I'd have to pay the poor vendor afterwards.

"Oops," I murmured, bumping the cart so it, and the fruit, went tumbling out. The guards, seeing the mess too late, slipped and fell into a heap. I had to hide a smirk.

"Don't let him get away!" Now that voice I recognized. Turning, I saw Guy mounted on a horse.

"Well it's a little late for that, isn't it Gisborne?" Robin yelled back. I could hear the taunting in his voice. I glanced toward Robin. His eyes found mine. Smirking, he saluted me before running back into Sherwood. When I looked back to Gisborne, he was _fuming_. Well Robin was never one for subtlety...

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><p><strong>Robin has escaped yet again! What does Guy think of his "salute" to Marian? Has he gotten her into trouble? R&amp;R!<strong>


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